


What If It Never Happened?

by lookslikenico, winglesswarrior



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: AU, AU Fluff, Fluff, M/M, What if Scenario
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-06
Updated: 2014-08-26
Packaged: 2018-02-07 19:06:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 57,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1910298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lookslikenico/pseuds/lookslikenico, https://archiveofourown.org/users/winglesswarrior/pseuds/winglesswarrior
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the Hale house fire never happened?</p>
<p>What if on the edge of finishing his college degree, Derek gets roped into chaperoning his younger sister's prom? </p>
<p>What if he meets someone he can't take his eyes off of? Someone he can't stay away from?</p>
<p>What if there really is no way to dodge fate?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Derek was pretty sure he’d protested loudly, but no one had heard him. His mother had actually just laughed in that way she did, then patted his shoulder and told him to change. He couldn’t go to prom in the t-shirt and jeans he had on. On the cusp of finishing college and he was chaperoning a dance for high schoolers, because his mother couldn’t meet her obligation. “It’ll be fine honey, you can keep an eye on Cora.”

Cora who had already darted out of the house and into a waiting car with her date, wearing a dress that Derek was pretty sure she shouldn’t have been let out of the house in. That was enough to get him there. Someone had to keep that guy’s hands off of her.

Once there there, in the poorly decorated hotel ballroom, Derek was thinking he should have protested louder. There had to have been a louder level. One that kept him from winding up in a place with teachers whispering over their punch cups at him, the world’s most horrendous collection of music and so much taffeta. He’d found a nice spot on the wall, watching the mess, doing his best to keep his eyes trained on his little sister until he realized that he didn’t need to be worried about the boy she was with hurting her. It was definitely the other way around.

He let his eyes drift, taking in the room until he spotted one person sitting alone, feet propped up on the chair next to him. The suit fit him well even though he tugged at the collar from time to time, like he wasn’t used to it. He’d worn a pair of battered converse with the tie, making him look more like one of the actors or rockstars in a magazine than a guy at his prom. Alone. Alone with one knee bouncing furiously, watching the crowd as he chewed on his thumb, like he belonged but didn’t all at the same time. Without even realizing he’d done it, Derek had drifted closer to him.

The song playing changed, and students headed either for or back from the dance floor. Rockstar perked up as a dark haired couple sat down at the table. The couple exchanged a few words with Rockstar - enough that even from a distance, Derek could tell that they were friends, but then the couple got engrossed with each other, leaving Rockstar even more alone and awkward than when he had been actually alone.

Derek stopped, standing against the wall a couple of yards away, as Rockstar looked round. The younger man clearly caught sight of Derek and then did a double take. Derek gave him a small, friendly smile. Rockstar’s eyes widened and then he looked sharply, toward the dancefloor as he slid further down in his seat, covering his face with his hand. Derek frowned - Rockstar looked like he was trying to disappear into the floor and Derek had no clue why. Only that Rockstar was doing a really bad job of it. There was no hiding really, not when you were all long lean limbs the way Rockstar was.

Derek watched as the other couple didn’t even notice their friend’s reaction to him and after a minute giggled at one another and left the table. Derek watched them move across the floor, but when he turned back to Rockstar he was shyly looking over his shoulder at Derek. He was covering his mouth but the hidden smile danced in his eyes.

Derek tried the smile again. Rockstar seemed to consider it for a moment and then catapulted up out of his seat and over to Derek.

“I’ve not seen you here before. You’re clearly not a student or a parent. Who are you?” he demanded, with a fearlessness that was almost shocking.

Derek attempted to drift backwards, but there was nowhere to go with the wall behind him. “Older brother,” he said. “Filling in for my mom. I’m Derek. Who’re you?”

“Stiles,” Rockstar, well Stiles, answered as if everyone already knew that. Maybe everyone did. Though if everyone knew who he was then why was he alone? Derek frowned internally at the question, even more so as this apparently well-known guy slumped against the wall next to him, shoulder to shoulder with Derek as he looked at the rest of the party. “That sucks,” Roc..Stiles commiserated after a few moments of intense people watching where the one thing neither of them was doing was looking at the other. “Having to turn up here and watch your little, er, brother? Sister? ...Sibling dance with their-” Stiles seemed to fumble for a word for a moment, then landed on, “-date. Which one are they anyhow?” he asked, as though he’d be able to tell just by looking.

Derek chuckled a little. “Cora,” he said, pointing his sister out.

Stiles did another double take and then turned his head to stare at Derek with unnerving intensity. “Cora - Cora Hale? You’re Derek Hale?” he asked, wide-eyed in a way that made Derek wonder if he’d made some kind of reality TV show in his sleep or become wildly famous for something he knew nothing about or something. Did he had some kind of weird double life going on - he had no idea.

“Yeah - I’m Derek,” he said, slowly, his brow wrinkling in amused confusion as Stiles whistled in low disbelief.

“Okay. Wow. Seriously? Wow. You - you left for college.”

“...And I came back,” Derek confirmed. “Graduating this year. Do you know my sister?” he asked, hoping to direct the conversation away from himself. He could feel himself blushing under that intense gaze and he was almost certain he should be old enough now that teenagers shouldn’t make him blush like that.

“Distantly,” Stiles said with a shrug as if that was how he knew everyone, from a distance. “She probably doesn’t know who I am, but there’s only so many people in the school right? No reason not to know of most my class and the one below it. Plus she’s a Hale and my dad talks about your mom sometimes. “She seems like she’s having fun though.”

Derek glanced at Stiles, catching that half wistful look in his eyes as he watched Cora and her date bounce around the music. “Where’s your date?” It wasn’t the question he meant to ask, but it blurted out anyway.

“Huh? Oh, didn’t have one. I came with a group of people, but turns my best shot at having someone to hang out with made up with his boyfriend last night and they’re here together. So the group I came with all paired off on me.” Stiles didn’t sound bitter, but more like he’d accepted it. Like he’d known it was coming.

Derek knew he was the one staring now. Full out, mouth open, world-doesn’t-make-sense staring. He coughed a little and looked away. It was difficult - he kept shooting little side glances towards Stiles. What kind of a world was it where Stiles - _Rockstar_ \- here didn’t have a date?

“What?” Stiles asked him. No surprise there that Derek’s shock had been in no way subtle. “One of the side effects of being really, terminally single.”

“That’s what’s surprising,” Derek said, trying to choose his words carefully. “That someone like you is single.”

Stiles laughed and shook his head, patting Derek’s shoulder. “Funny. That’s a good one. Trust me, it’s not surprising at all. What’s surprising is that I got to come at all. Or wound up coming. I thought about skipping, but Scott’s here and I nominated him for Prom King, which he probably won’t win, but someone has to take pictures of him looking embarrassed on stage right?”

“Scott’s your friend?” Derek asked.

“Close as brothers, yeah. Been best buds since we could walk.” Derek followed where Stiles was pointing, seeing the dark haired guy from earlier, dancing with the same girl as before and looking at her like she hung the moon. “That’s Scotty.”

“Why does he get nominated for Prom King and you don’t?” Derek asked, looking back at Stiles again who just laughed.

“Because it’s me. He’s popular now. I’m just sort of his plus one to everything, which is cool, we still hang out when he’s not completely distracted by Allison.”

Derek tilted his head to the side as he looked over at Stiles, unable to resist asking, “What about when he is? Totally distracted by her, I mean. What do you do then?”

Stiles shrugged again going back to chewing on his thumb. “Homework. Chores. I’ve gotten really good at practicing lacrosse alone. Video games. I’m awesome at video games. I read. Help my dad out with cases even though he doesn’t usually want it.”

Derek arched a thick eyebrow. “Helping your dad?” he prompted.

“Sure - my dad’s the Sheriff. Stilinski? That’s where the ‘Stiles’ comes from,” Rockstar supplied.

“Right - I... thought it was kind of an odd name.”

“Yet you said nothing.”

“Not really my place to judge.”

“True - some people have wicked strange names,” Stiles agreed, nodding his head. Derek felt a little thrill at the fast-paced back and forth between them. It felt comfortable, like here was a guy he could talk to all night, and they’d be able to keep up with each other. “Honestly my first name is more weird than Stiles. Stiles like...makes sense.”

“What is your first name?”

“There’s a reason why I go by Stiles.”

Derek chuckled slightly, looking over at Stiles who was smiling. “Who were you going to ask, if you had asked someone?”

“A whole heap of people who would never say yes?” Stiles suggested. “My dad has this theory that I purposefully develop crushes on unattainable people, so that I never have to act on them and I don’t have to risk actual rejection.”

“Really - and what do you think of his theory?” Derek asked him, amused at the way that Stiles blinked in a way that made Derek think that usually that answer worked to completely deflect off the subject so Stiles didn’t have to answer.

“I think my dad needs to stop reading child psychology books in attempts to understand me.” Stiles went back to watching his classmates dance, chewing on his lower lip.

“So why didn’t you ask anyone?” Derek prompted.

“There wasn’t anyone to ask. Last girl I had a crush on is still dating her meathead of a boyfriend, despite the fact that she can actually run circles around him smarts wise. Everyone else I would have considered wouldn’t have said yes, so no point in being that guy trying to ask everyone and not finding anyone. I was kinda banking on spiking Danny’s punch, but Michael turned out to not be a doofus and showed up.”

Derek returned to watching with him. He knew that was what he was here for. Watch. Make sure everyone was behaving themselves and okay. Be bored witless.

“There no one here you’re even gonna ask for a dance?” Derek said, wanting to keep the conversation going. May as well work on that last one.

“Uh no,” Stiles said shaking his head. “Probably not. Definitely not. I’m no good at dancing anyway.” Stiles waited a beat then looked at Derek. “You? Thinking about asking one of the teachers? There’s at least two that aren’t over forty and married and they’ve been staring at you all night.”

“I’m not dancing at my sister’s prom,” Derek said, immediately shutting that down. “Anyway - if I danced with any of her teachers, she’d rip my throat out. I’m sure that breaks pretty much all of the sibling code or something. I know I would have killed Laura if she’d pulled shit like that at my prom.”

Stiles turned his shoulder a little, leaning more against it than he had been moments before. “Did you go to your prom?”

“I did, yes,” Derek confirmed. He rolled his eyes and smiled. “My mom was one of the chaperones.”

“So you were on your best behavior and didn’t get drunk afterwards and lose your virginity like in all the movies?” Stiles chuckled to himself and shook his head. “Who’d you take? Prom Queen?”

Derek shook his head, looking down at the floor. “No. I, er - didn’t date much in high school,” he said, quietly. There’d been Paige, the the Kate debacle, in the end he’d decided to concentrate on control and actually graduating high school. “I went stag with a couple of guys from the basketball team. I was the designated driver. I don’t really drink much anyhow, and when I do, alcohol doesn’t affect me all that much.” Read: not at all. One of the ‘perks’ of being a werewolf.

“You didn’t date much in high school? And you’re surprised that I don’t? Sheesh, if you can’t get a date, I don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell.” Stiles turned so he was slumped back against the wall again. “Unless you mean by going with the guys you were actually going with a guy, because that was a lot more taboo back then right? Not that you’re that old, but like, i don’t remember you being at school here so four years ago, that might not have been an okay thing.”

Derek laughed softly. “No, I mean going stag with a group of guys. I didn’t date a guy until my sophomore year of college,” Derek said, unable to resist dropping that in there. “I had a girlfriend in high school, but...”

“Didn’t end well?” Stiles assumed.

“She died.”

“That’s sorta...” Stiles started with his quip, but it died on his lips as he softened. “That sucks. I know how that feels. My mom died when I was seven. Sucked worse than anything ever. Dad’s child psychology books say that’s why I don’t date either.” Derek had to wonder when Stiles had actually stolen the books and read them for himself and if he was still a child when he’d done it. “So you didn’t lose your virginity at prom?” Stiles said with a smirk, obviously pushing the conversation forward.

“No, freshman year of college,” Derek said, wondering in that moment why he was telling Stiles that. He realized it was that Stiles felt comfortable enough that he felt he could tell him anything.

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Now you’re just lying to make me feel like less of a square. Who will be lucky if he gets laid then. I might have to consider one of those arranged marriages? Like on Game of Thrones. Where they don’t have options. Though it’d wind up definitely being a girl then probably which sort of takes the fun out of being into guys too...” He trailed off as if the whole last part was meant for himself and he hadn’t realized he’d been speaking out loud.

Derek laughed at that - a surprised cough of a laugh that he couldn’t hold back. “No. Trust me. None of that.”

“I still think you are lying, but that’s okay. I’m going to go with it so I feel less lame.” Stiles smiled, as if he really enjoyed making Derek laugh more than anything else.

“You aren’t lame,” Derek said without really thinking the thought through.

“I am. Alone, on prom night, half hoping it turns into a horror flick so that I can _do_ something before it ends. Or do something before we go upstairs and I get drunk enough to not care that I’m the only one not making out with someone.”

“Your dad’s not going to have a problem with that?”

“With me not making out with someone? No.”

“With you getting drunk.”

“Of course he will. Though if it’s staying sober and watching everyone else make out or getting that time-old ‘you should be responsible and not drink underage’ lecture for maybe the fourth time in my life it might be worth it.”

“You never did tell me who you were backing for prom queen,” Derek said, flipping the conversation topic. He hated the thought that Stiles was getting himself wound up about things, but he couldn’t bring himself to actually encourage Rockstar to go out and try to find someone. Derek liked him just here.

“Because it’s not a question,” Stiles said with a grin. “The strawberry blonde, center of the floor. She’s a shoe in and possibly a gift from the gods.” He sighed a little dreamily then rolled his eyes at himself.

“And one of your unattainable crushes.” With that expressive face, it didn’t even need to be a question. Even without werewolf senses, it didn’t need to be a question.

“ _The Unattainable Crush_ ,” Stiles said emphasizing it as if it were a title. “She’s great though. Greater than people realize. They think she’s just pretty Jackson arm candy when in reality it’s the other way around.”

Derek nodded slowly, keeping his thoughts to himself considering they centered on the redhead obviously not being as great as Stiles claimed if she hadn’t realized the existence of Rockstar with the mountain of a crush on her.

“She’s really, really smart. Smarter than me - sometimes, at least. It makes me so mad sometimes that she uses those smarts to cover up just how clever she actually is. Like being clever is a bad thing.” Stiles paused and then continued. “Then again, she’s the most popular girl in school and I’ve never even been on a date. Which is pathetic and kinda humiliating to have to admit to. Maybe she’s got the right idea and I’m the one doing it wrong.”

“It changes, once you get to college,” Derek blurted out. “Guys like you? Smart, good looking guys like you - it changes. You rule. You are... are you going to college?” Derek asked, his face carefully blank. He’d only just returned to Beacon Hills and now this guy was probably set to leave.

“Guys like... what? I’m not one of those guys.” Stiles shook his head. “Going to college. Got into a few places, but the nearby state school offered me more money and I’d be close enough to dad to get home quickly if he needed something. Not fancy, but it’s okay. Got into some fancy schools.”

“Don’t sell yourself short on what kind of a guy you are, just because of some dumb high school label,” Derek advised. “Just wait - you might be surprised.” In fact, Derek would guarantee it. Enough that his worry for Stiles’ future was that he’d be taken advantage of. It was a thought that raised the hackles of his inner wolf, driven by a sudden need to shelter and protect. A ridiculous urge for a guy he’d only just met.

“I doubt it. Just like how if I didn’t know better I’d think you were hitting on me. Which I know you aren’t.” Stiles smiled then went back to looking at the crowd.

Derek hesitated, glad that Rockstar wasn’t looking at him - because he was suddenly questioning his own motivations here for talking with this clearly smart, funny, undoubtedly attractive guy. One who had drawn his attention immediately, who was making tonight not only bearable, but enjoyable as well. One who was making him absently rewrite his summer plans with absent thoughts of ways that their paths may cross again. This _high school student_ , four years younger than him. Derek made a noise, not trusting himself with actual words, trying to convey that, sure, that idea was ridiculous, even though his heart was pounding. God, oh god - he was that guy, wasn’t he? That creep who was hitting on a much younger guy. Possibly a minor. His mind was thinking of things that would lead to him committing a felony. Stiles’ father would lock him up and throw away the key for so much as glancing at his son. Stiles was so far off limits, he may as well have been on another planet.

“Thanks though,” Stiles said, pulling Derek from his thoughts and reminding him that he should have said something. “For the ‘it gets better pep talk’. It’s a good thing to hear on nights like this one.” His voice was softer than before, genuine, no hint of joking.

Derek shrugged, not looking at Stiles. He felt like maybe he should just make his excuses and leave, remove himself from this situation that was clearly inappropriate. He didn’t though. He couldn’t - not when Stiles used that tone, the one which shouted that he needed someone. “It does. It will - for you, anyway,” Derek told him.

He could see it from the corner of his eye as Stiles turned to look at him with that sharp, assessing gaze. “Did it not get better for you?” he asked.

Derek blinked, and looked at the younger man despite himself. “Oh, well - sure. It changed, at least. I had fun in college.”

“Lots of parties?”

Derek chuckled. “That, plus I got to study things I was actually interested in.”

“Like what?” Stiles had turned again, shoulder against the wall and facing Derek like he was truly interested in what he was asking. “I haven’t picked a major yet.”

“I majored in history, with a minor in literature,” Derek told him, with a look of contentment that was only slightly tinged with hesitation as he waited for the reaction. He’d faced it before. People tended to look at him and decide without talking to him that he had probably gone to college on a sports scholarship. Had doubtlessly taken the easiest courses he could to maintain the necessary grades and then partied hard in between his gym sessions. Most people didn’t know that whilst, sure, he liked to run and work out, more than half of his physique was down to having been born a werewolf. He’d never taken steroids, he actually had a brain that he liked to use, and he wasn’t all that bothered by parties, since the loud music played havoc with his hearing, he didn’t much like dancing, and alcohol didn’t affect him at all, leaving him surrounded by drunk morons by the end of the night.

Stiles smiled at the answer though, nodding like he’d just discovered some secret. “So you’re not exactly stupid,” he teased lightly, but under it he sounded impressed, maybe even pleased, but Derek shut that train of thought off before it left the station. He was a kid. He wasn’t even done with high school yet. Impressing him wasn’t point no matter how good it felt.

Derek couldn’t help the returning smile, agreeing, “No - not exactly stupid. I didn’t go to a fancy college either, but it was enough. Could have gone fancier, but I get what you said earlier. About leaving your dad? Leaving my family was hard. Really hard.”

“So - you came right back as soon as you were done?” Stiles checked.

“Right.”

“And you’re staying in Beacon Hills from now on?”

Derek didn’t have an answer for that question. The original was probably not, just the summer of looking into grad schools maybe or job searching. He wanted to stay close but he didn’t have to stay that close. With Stiles asking though the answer was different and ridiculous. “For a little while, yeah.”

Stiles broke out into a grin. “Awesome. We could hang out again.”

Derek hadn’t been in the least bit prepared for the suggestion, and the surprise showed in his face. “Hang out?” Derek asked, the pitch of his voice raising. He knew that Stiles had entirely misread his reaction as the younger man’s face fell and he pushed off from the wall.

“Of course. No - why would you?” he asked, looking anywhere but at Derek.

“Stiles - I...”

“Don’t want to hang around with a school kid. I get it. You don’t have to say anything. Can we just pretend that I didn’t suggest it like you’re not just humouring the lonely kid at his prom ecause you’re a nice guy.”

Derek opened his mouth to protest again, when the announcement came for the final dance of the night. “Dance with me,” he said, instead, holding out his hand.

Stiles blinked at him. “What?” he asked, confused at the offer and looking at Derek’s hand like it was some kind of alien limb.

“Dance with me - everyone should dance at their own prom. Dance with me.”

“You said you weren’t going to dance,” Stiles said, not quite meeting Derek’s eyes. He looked like he wanted to though, which Derek took as a good sign.

“I changed my mind. Come on.”

“I’m terrible at dancing,” Stiles tried, but he was reaching for Derek’s outstretched hand.

“Me too,” Derek said as he took Stiles’ hand and pulled him toward the dance floor. It wasn’t entirely true. He wasn’t a bad dancer - he just didn’t do a whole lot of it. He much preferred to stand unnoticed in the corner, rather than be out on display. Right now, though, he could feel nervous excitement bubbling up inside him at the idea of dancing with this boy.

For a moment Stiles looked shockingly shy, as if he wasn’t sure he wanted anyone to notice him, but a few of his friends have noticed. Derek could feel Cora staring at him, but she could yell at him later. Once in the middle of the floor though, surrounded by people, Stiles forgot his bashfulness and seemed to just go for it, arms slung around Derek’s shoulders with a sureness that felt forced, but not entirely. “There,” Stiles said. “Dancing.”

“Generally dancing means moving your feet,” Derek pointed out, settling his arms around Stiles’ waist and linking his hands at the small of his back. Derek reminded himself to keep it PG - hands at an appropriate level, space in between them. No groping, or grinding. With that thought, suddenly the idea of groping and grinding and Stiles was all that he could think about. It was official. He was going to hell. He was a terrible, terrible, horrible person.

“Hey,” Stiles said, pulling Derek out of his stupor. “Some guy once told me that dancing means moving your feet!” Rockstar declared, and Derek realised that he’d stopped moving. Finally, eventually, they both managed to get moving, somewhat in time. Stiles started to hum along with the song, some pop song that was all the rage at the moment and shifted closer, almost like he didn’t realize he was doing it. Derek wasn’t complaining, but he could feel his heart rate go up, sure Stiles could hear it too it was so loud. It had to be louder than the song.

Derek was working hard not to stare into Stiles’ eyes like they were on some kind of a date here, but it was hard. They were so close, and he could feel the warmth radiating from Stiles’ body, and the scent of him drifting up. He wanted to do all sorts of things that he knew he couldn’t. Instead, he distracted himself with talking. “You sad your friend didn’t win Prom King?” he asked, glancing over to where the petite redhead was dancing with a tall blonde guy, both of them wearing crowns.

Stiles looked that way and shrugged. “Not really. It was probably a little much assuming the reigning king would be overthrown in his final hour of glory,” he said with a chuckle. “It was fun to see him up there though, people noticing him like they should.”

Derek didn’t point out that Stiles had hardly paid attention to the crowning ceremony - that the two of them had been too lost in conversation to care. Stiles had noticed, clearly, even if Derek hadn’t. Maybe it had only actually been Derek who had been lost in the conversation, his attention firmly fixed on the Rockstar in his arms, who felt like he belonged there.

Derek abruptly pulled back as the song ended, though even with that he knew that his arms lingered, reluctant to entirely let Stiles go. Realistically, he knew this probably would be the last time he touched the other man, but still he made himself step back, thrusting his hands into his pockets. He couldn’t let himself get carried away. He certainly wasn’t allowed to ask Stiles how old he was. That was the very top of a long list of things he was in no way allowed to do under any circumstances.

Stiles seemed surprised when Derek pulled back, one hand still holding on to him before he pulled it away and rocked on his feet a few times. “No chance you wanna join a bunch of stupid high schoolers for post-prom booze and bad drinking games huh?”

Derek smiled a little. “Doubt I’d be welcome,” he said, already feeling the loss of Stiles from his arms.

“Sure you would - by one person, anyhow. Come on - we all chipped in for a suite for the party.”

“Stiles...” Derek started, but Stiles actually bounced a little on his feet. 

“They won’t care. They won’t notice. They’ll be relieved someone else is distracting me so they can hook up and not be interrupted.” 

“My sister will be there,” Derek reminded him.

Stiles’ shoulders fell and he nodded. “Right. And that would be weird. That’s cool.” He tucked his hands into the suit pockets, smiling a little. “Guess I’ll see you around then right?” 

“Small town,” Derek agreed, swallowing the screaming ‘ _yes_ ’ from his wolf.

“Right. Only so many grocery stores right?” Stiles rocked on his feet again then nodded. “It was good meeting you.” 

Derek swallowed. God if that didn’t not at all cover the situation. “Sure. You too,” he said, hoping he sounded in some way normal.

Someone, Scott probably, shouted Stiles’ name and he looked that way, waving. “I should go,” he said as he turned and Derek nodded. 

“Go. Have fun,” he said, trying to be casual and get Stiles to leave so he didn’t leap forward and drag him back closer. 

Stiles shrugged. “I’ll try,” he said, quirking a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Derek nodded, taking a few steps back. “You’ll be fine,” he promised then made himself leave without looking back. He couldn’t look back or he would stop.


	2. Chapter 2

“So - you spent a whole lot of time talking to Stiles Stilinski at prom, big brother,” Cora said as she sat herself down next to her older brother on the ridge overlooking the town, deep in the centre of the preserve.

Derek had been both dreading, and hoping for this exact conversation. It was two days since prom. Two days since he had seen Rockstar.

He still couldn’t get him out of his head. He needed to know more about the boy. Derek was convinced it was far from healthy to be this interested in someone his kid sister’s age, but he couldn’t help himself. It was all he could do to manage to actually physically keep himself away.

“I did,” he said as plainly as he could manage, though he was sure his heartbeat picking up would give him away. “He’s interesting.”

“You mean weird,” Cora said, leaning back on her elbows. “He’s weird. You can say it. Everyone else does.”

“He’s not weird Cora.”

Cora rolled her eyes. “Of course he is. He’s _Stiles Stilinski_ \- I promise, someone went into the library and crossed out ‘weird’ in the dictionary and scrawled ‘Stiles’ in its place.”

“He thinks you don’t know who he is,” Derek said, feeling uncomfortable and bad for his rockstar that someone actually put him through that.

“Everyone knows who Stiles is,” Cora said - like that was obvious. It was the same kind of tone that Stiles had introduced himself with.

“But people don’t like him?” Derek summarised.

“ _You_ spent all night talking with him,” she pointed out.

“Right, because he’s not all that weird,” Derek said, but Cora rolled her eyes.

“D, there’s a reason there was no one else to talked to him.”

“What reason?”

“He’s weird!”

Derek frowned, brows meeting in the middle as he looked at his sister, intently. “Stiles isn’t weird.”

“He so is - you know he once submitted a history of male circumcision for an exam paper…” Derek gave his sister a blank look. “It was an _economics_ exam!”

“Oh.”

“Right! ‘Oh’,” Cora agreed. Then she settled down, leaning in and smiling at her brother. “But you spent the whole night talking with him. You danced with him. _You_ don’t think he’s weird.” She grinned. “You _like_ him.”

“He’s at least four years younger than me.”

“He turned eighteen three months ago,” his sister said, with that same wide grin.

“He’s still in high school.”

“Graduation’s next month.”

“His dad’s the Sheriff.”

“So - you don’t want to know that Lydia Martin’s throwing her annual summer party down at the lake on Thursday, and it’s open to all students _and_ their families and I know Stiles is actually going to be there then?”

Derek did want to know. He really wanted to know, but knowing was probably a bad idea because he was thinking about what came after knowing which was going. “I don’t think…” He shouldn’t. Sure, Stiles was, thankfully, legal, but that didn’t really make everything okay. It was still just three months over the border of legal.

“Great!” Cora declared. “So, we’re going then - which works because mom already replied for the whole family.”

“What?” Derek spluttered.

“Lydia sent a family invite - and you know what mom and dad are like about community events.”

Derek sighed. Did he ever. The Hale family went to everything. The entire family, if possible. Otherwise, one or more official representatives. Nothing went on in Beacon Hills without the Hales being involved. Not even, it seemed, a teenager’s beach party. “So mom and dad are going to be there?” he asked, feeling like it sounded like less and less of a good idea. Maybe he could feign being sick.

“Yup, won’t that be fun. They’ll be so excited to see that you’re dating again!” Cora smiled brightly in that way only a little sister could when she was up to something truly evil.

“Shut up. I’m not…”

“But you _like_ him. Weird ole Stiles Stilinski does it for you. How bizarre are you really?”

Derek glared at her, staring her down until she finally gave up on the teasing.

“Fine - be like that,” she said, pouting.

“I’m not into him,” Derek lied, because he felt he really needed to do that.

“Sure you’re not. Because you’re so known for devoting your entire existence to random guys - or girls.”

“It’s not like that Cora.”

“Derek, stop lying. One I can tell and two you’re ridiculous. There’s nothing wrong with it being like that. Just be careful. He’s smart or whatever and he just… figures things out. And you don’t want that.” Derek frowned and Cora rolled her eyes again, in response. “God - _dumbass_! Think with your upper brain for once!”

“I do…”

“Whatever - seriously? Stiles? _Figures things out_. It’s what he does. It’s like… anyway. It’s one of the reasons that he thinks I don’t know he exists. I? Am not going anywhere near that guy. I like my secrets. So... Just be careful, big brother. Decide ahead of time what you want him to know. That boy? He’ll see right through you, if you give him half a chance.”

Derek still stared at her, his mind thinking about the secret list of things he wanted to do to or with Stiles until her actual intent dawned on him. Oh that. That he couldn’t let Stiles find out about. “He wouldn’t. How would he even get there. We don’t exist remember?”

“Yeah, trust me. If anyone can get there? It’s Stiles. That’s how his brain works. And he doesn’t let things go. Like a dog with a bone,” She said then burst into giggles at her own pun.

Derek’s shoulder sagged and he exhaled sharply as he realised the joke. “Cora! Not funny.”

“Oh no - no. Totally funny.” She folded over in laughter for a moment, until something seemed to occur and then she suddenly straightened up, pulling a face. “Bone. Eww - no, not a mental image I ever needed! Please! Take it away…”

Derek sighed, dramatically. “Cor - just, let it go. There’s going to be no boning of any type. He’s… eighteen. I’m twenty-two. He wouldn’t be interested, even if I was.”

“So you are?” Cora said bumping into his shoulder with hers. “And he’d be interested. He’s eighteen. Every eighteen year old boy is interested.”

“Is there something you want to tell me about your prom date then?” Derek asked eyebrow raised and felt triumphed when she blushed.

“No!”

“Liar.”

“We aren’t talking about this. You just said…”

“There’s no boning of any type? Maybe I was wrong,” Derek teased. He’d seen Cora with her date. If anything had happened, it would have been with her entire consent. He was comfortable with that. “But - if there is… Maybe you should think about bringing him round for dinner sometime. You know how mom feels about this.”

“De-rek. It’s not like that!”

“Then what’s it like?”

“It’s just… a thing. I don’t know if we’re at the bring him home to mom and her looks that make even humans nervous stage yet.” She’d turned away from him, tugging at her hair, twisting it into braids while she avoided eye contact.

“Well, if it gets to that point, you should. Especially if you’ll see him at the party.”

“So you’re going to the party?” she asked, jumping that instead of her maybe-boyfriend and grinning with it.

“Maybe. Just maybe.”

“You want to see him.”

“Shut up Cora.”

“Hey, the next best thing after the party is stalking him, which you know you can do, but it’s creepy. Avoid creepy.”

Derek sighed at her. “I don’t do creepy.”

“So, when I overheard mom telling dad that you’d been suddenly talking about looking into an internship with the Sheriff’s office, when you’d never shown any interest in law enforcement before - that had nothing at all to do with Stiles? The Sheriff’s son? You’re not at all trying to get the inside track with your future father-in-law?” Cora asked.

Derek cuffed her lightly round the back of the head. “You listen too much.”

“Werewolves, Der - you know that nothing stays a secret here for long. You seriously looking to become a cop? Because of a crush?”

“I’m considering options.”

“You’re boring enough already, don’t become a cop,” Cora whined.

“I’m not boring.”

“You are boring. This crush on a boy _my age_ is the most interesting thing to happen with you in years. Just go to the party and ask him out like a normal human and don’t stalk him through his dad.”

Derek looked pained. “But... his dad’s not gonna like it that some twenty-something is trying to date his son. Maybe, if he knew me better...”

“Ahh ha! So you admit, you’ve got a crush on Stiles!” Cora crowed.

Knowing there was no point denying it now, Derek shrugged. “I think maybe he thinks he likes me too.”

Cora’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, ‘you think’?” she asked, assessingly.

“I think. He wanted me to stick around after prom with him. He said he hoped he saw me again. That’s usually a good sign.”

Cora smirked at him a little and nodded. “It usually is a good sign,” she said. “You like him. It’s so cute. Why didn’t you stick around after prom with him?” Derek gave her a look, as if she shouldn’t have had to ask. “Okay - so you either were worried that he was underage and couldn’t think of a good way to ask, in case he was, or you didn’t want to be the annoying big brother hanging round his little sister’s friends.”

“Try both,” Derek said, looking back out over the view.

“You’re an idiot,” Cora told him, fondly. Derek almost got whiplash, he looked round at her so fast, hurt written all over his expression. Cora rolled her eyes. “You could have just come find me at prom and I would have told you that yes, Stiles is eighteen and no, I didn’t have a problem with you hanging out. You’re hardly ancient, big brother.” She smirked and continued, “Plus, I had _everyone_ coming up to me asking if ‘the hottie in the corner’ was actually my brother. Well, everyone but Stiles Stilinski, who can never do what everyone else does. Instead, that guy just walks up and talks to you. Exactly what nobody else had to guts to do.”

“So he’s not like the rest of them.”

Cora shook her head. “Nope. Told you he was weird.” She smiled again then patted his shoulder. “Lucky for you, you get to see him again in a few days. And you already know the answers to those burning questions.” Cora used his shoulder for leverage to get up, then pulled at his shirt. “Come on, enough sulking. You’ll get wrinkles.”

“I’m not sulking,” Derek protested, but he got to his feet anyway.

“Course you’re not. You’re pining,” Cora teased, taking to her heels and running off through the preserve. “Race you home!” Her voice came floating back as she disappeared into the trees. Derek laughed and took off after her. If she thought that she could outrun him, even with a head start, she was fooling herself.

\-----

“So who’s that?” Derek and Cora were sitting at a picnic table at the end of the lake, with Laura and Talia – though the other two Hales were deep in conversation about something Derek had no interest in. What he _was_ interested in was the girl Stiles was talking to, about fifty yards away. Their quiet conversation drifted across the afternoon air, easily audible to the two werewolves.

“That’s Allison – Stiles’ best friend’s girlfriend,” Cora supplied.

“Right. Scott’s girlfriend.” Derek recognised her now, though today her dark hair was loose, different from the elaborate up do she’d had at the prom.

“Right. You know her family, actually.”

Derek looked at his sister, finally dragging his eyes away from Stiles, who seemingly hadn’t even noticed Derek’s presence yet. “I do?”

“Yeah – you had that ridiculous crush on her aunt? When you were my age? Kate Argent?” Cora snickered as she continued. “God, I remember the day that mom came home from work early and found you two on the sofa…”

“We weren’t doing anything!” Derek protested.

“She was, like, six years older than you, D! I’m not surprised mom practically chased her out of the house and forbade you ever to see her again.”

Derek cringed with the memory. He remembered that day clearly. He’d been so charmed that this beautiful older woman was apparently interested in him. It’d been the first time he’d brought her home. She’s been about to kiss him, he was certain of it. Then all of a sudden, his mom was home hours before she should have been and, when she found them, Talia had not been happy. Understatement. Kate had left town three days later and he’d never seen or heard from her again.

“So that’s her niece,” Derek started again, trying to move the conversation forward and away from his crush that had consumed him for too long.

“Right. She’s dating Scott. It’s adorable puppy love,” Cora said in a sing-songy voice, obviously mocking them a little bit. “So… are you going to talk to him or just ask me about all of his friends?”

“He seems to be having a good time without me going over,” Derek pointed out, watching Stiles laugh at something Allison said.

“Just because you’re not the be all and end all of his existence, doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t be happy to see you,” Cora pointed out, pushing his shoulder lightly. She frowned as her brother didn’t move. “Okay, spill - what’s really on your mind?” she asked.

“Kate,” Derek confessed with a sigh.

“Kate? But - you haven’t seen her for, like...”

“I know. Years. Haven’t thought about her for that long either. Not really.”

“So, what’s the problem? Why now?” Cora asked and Derek knew she didn’t get it.

“What’s the difference between four years and six years?”

“Er - two years? I’m not still on grade school math, Der,” Cora pointed out.

“No - I mean, really. You were saying that Kate and I, that it was ridiculous because she was six years older than me. I’m four years older than him.”

“I’m sure there’s some law about age of consent that clarifies that,” Cora deadpanned until Derek gave her a look and she let out a loud sigh. It drew her older sister’s attention, but Derek waved Laura away. Laura watched him for a moment then went back to talking to her mother. “It just doesn’t feel as weird. Though that might just be you because you’re not really the type to take advantage of him.”

“You think she was taking advantage of me?” Derek asked her.

“I was ten years old, Derek - all I knew was that mom was pissed and you shut yourself in your room for an entire _week_. Which is dramatic, even for you. Then you didn’t speak to her for a month, until dad took you out on that three day camping trip and whatever it was he said to you fixed your head back on straight.”

Without meaning to, Derek’s eyes went back to Stiles. He remembered the trip. It had started as an excuse to get Derek out of the house, he’d known it when his father had informed him they were going. Talia was tired of his nonsense and was sending him to the woods to get him out of the house. He’d been silent for the first half of the trip and his father had let him.

Then, the second night, when they were sitting at the fire, Derek’s father had broken the silence. Derek hadn’t wanted him to talk, but he didn’t interrupt. “Something better will come along,” he said. “I can’t tell you when or how, but you’ll know it when you see it. Everything you felt about her will pale in comparison.”

Derek hadn’t believed him at the time, but his father had a way about him and he’d always been able to get through to Derek. He’d come back from that trip with most of the pain gone quiet, if not entirely disappeared. Now though, looking at the guy across the way who was making the most ridiculous moves and gestures that had the girl he was talking to in fits of laughter, Derek had to wonder if his father hadn’t been right all along.

Cora pulled him from his thoughts by kicking him under the table. “Go talk to him.”

Derek gave her a look but after another well landed kick he got up, rubbing at his shin before drifting towards where Stiles was telling his story, hands in his pockets. The moment Stiles spotted him though, his story was forgotten, hands still in the air as he looked past Allison “Derek.”

Allison turned and looked over her shoulder, then smiled back at Stiles. “That’s Derek?” she asked, teasing in her voice.

Stiles nodded without turning to her as he and Derek stared at each other for a moment. Then Stiles seemed to find himself again and, dropping his arms, he stepped forward. “Allison, this is Derek Hale. Derek - Allison Argent, Scott’s girlfriend,” he said, and Derek wanted to laugh at the way that Stiles was clearly trying to pull off a formal introduction and how cute the earnestness was. Cute enough, though, that Derek wasn’t going to spoil it with laughter that could be taken the wrong way. Especially by a guy who was inexplicably unpopular at school. Derek was willing to bet that far too many people had laughed at Stiles for all the wrong reasons in the past.

Instead he gave Allison his best smile. “Nice to meet you,” he said, politely.

“You too,” Allison said with a slight blush to her own smile. “Or well, properly. I kind of already knew who you were.” She pushed at Stiles who gave her a dirty look. “He’s cute,” she said then laughed a little. “I’m gonna go find Scott.” She had a way of talking, drawing out her words like they meant something more than the literal definition of them. 

“Fine, go!” Stiles waved her away rubbing at his cheek like it might hide some of the blush that had blossomed on his skin. 

Derek watched Allison walk away, wondering exactly what she had meant by that comment. Had Stiles been talking about him - or had Kate? He shook off the feeling crawling up his spine and turned back to Stiles. “Hi,” he said, inwardly cringing at the softness of his tone there. Captain Obvious had obviously taken up residence.

Stiles’ eyes went softer though at the greeting, a different smile taking over his features. “Hi,” he said back, just as softly. “So… You’re here.” He shifted on his feet as if he was nervous. 

“I am,” Derek said trying to sound more sure than Stiles, if only to put him at ease. “How was the rest of prom?” 

Stiles stopped shifting on his feet, but rubbed at the back of his neck instead. “Boring I guess. They asked me about you, who you were and I wound up not drinking much and sneaking out when the making out started. Played Halo against some kid in New Mexico most of the night. Schooled him properly. So that part was good.” 

“Could be worse,” Derek said with a shrug. “I ended my prom holding some girl’s hair back from her face while she heaved.” He wrinkled his nose, still able to faintly recall the smell.

“Ew, yeah that’s gross. I left before that could happen.” Stiles rocked on his feet a little bit then shook his head. “I did kinda have this idea though, of how it could end and after thinking about that… everything feels like a disappointment.” 

“How was it meant to end?” Derek asked him, pushing down hard on all of his thoughts about how that night could have ended. Thoughts of expanses of pale skin and rich brown eyes and the noises that sinfully shaped mouth would make, laid out beneath him.

Stiles laughed at himself and shrugged. “I met this really cool guy. Kind of mysterious, but friendly. There were ideas around getting more than just a dance out of him.” He bit his lip when he looked up at Derek, eyes dark with something that Derek wanted to be similar to what he was feeling and Derek’s breath caught in his throat.

He swallowed. “Mysterious guy, huh?” he asked, fighting to keep his tone normal.

“Uhuh, but he went home. So, I figure maybe he’s not interested.” 

“Maybe he was just playing it cool,” Derek suggested. “Or maybe he was just making sure that your dad wasn’t going to come and hunt him down for touching his son. Being the Sheriff and all.”

“If someone wanted to take me out or touch me I think my dad might throw them a party, Sheriff or not,” Stiles said with a laugh. He bit at his lip again, shrugging. “I’m eighteen. I’m single. I was really hoping you would have stuck around.” Derek could tell Stiles had practiced that, the words came too easily compared with the nervous twitch in the way his foot tapped. 

“I know you’re eighteen. Now,” Derek told him. He glanced over at his sister, who was now talking to Laura and their mother. They were all glancing over at him occasionally. Great. They were talking about him. They would probably have had married him off by nightfall, in their little circle. Planned his entire future. His mother would be _thrilled_ \- a link with the Stilinski family. Connections to the Sheriff’s department. An in with a well connected, human family. He held back the sigh. 

“You asked your sister about me?” Stiles asked, interpreting the look without Derek actually having to say anything more. “I’m surprised she even knows my name.”

“Apparently, everyone knows you. And, er, about a certain economics paper?” Derek said, questioningly, at which Stiles blushed and put a hand over his face, once again seemingly trying to hide in the worst possible way.

“I swear there was a good reason for that,” he muttered into his palm.

“What kind of reason?” Derek asked, curious. 

“Too much Adderall and Mountain Dew?” Stiles suggested. Derek chuckled lightly. 

“Seems like reason enough,” he agreed and Stiles nodded. 

“My thoughts exactly. And everyone doesn’t know me. So what else did you want to know about me that you asked your sister about?” 

Derek thought back to her warnings about Stiles’ investigative tendencies, but brushed them aside. Definitely not bringing up the family secret, and he wasn’t going to worry too much about Stiles putting the pieces together. Not right now. Not when he didn’t have any pieces to begin with. Later he would decide whether it was even a worry at all. It might be nice, to not have to formally come out to someone for once. “I asked her if she thought I was too old for you,” he admitted.

“She say yes?” Stiles asked, tucking his hands into his pockets. “‘Cause I don’t think so. But I get it if you think so. Or she thinks so.” 

"Actually, she said no. And asked me why I was sitting over there staring at you and wasn't getting my ass over here to talk to you."

“I think I like your sister,” Stiles said with a smirk. “Why were you waiting?” 

“I was second guessing myself,” Derek admitted, shrugging a shoulder and mirroring Stiles’ position, thrusting his hands into his pockets.

“About what?” Stiles asked.

“About you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. About whether I actually had a chance with you.”

Stiles barked a laugh and shook his head. “You’re joking. You’re worried you don’t have a chance with me? I was the high schooler hitting on you while you were chaperoning his prom. Trust me, the one who should be wondering if he had a chance was me, not you.” 

“I’ve never been particularly good at this kind of thing,” Derek confessed. “I had all these overly complicated plans about how to subtly insert myself into your life so I could be where you are without it seeming strange.”

“You know, most people call that ‘dating’. It’s a whole thing. Books have been written about it. Many, many books. Movies too. It’s a well known and established method of two people occupying the same space without anyone thinking it’s odd at all,” Stiles teased, still looking at Derek like he thought Derek was delusional.

“So you’re telling me I have a chance or I need to go through with the complicated plans?” Derek asked, trying hard not to smile at Stiles’ teasing. 

“Dunno, depends on how good the complicated plans are. I’m not going to lie I’m a little curious what you thought was going to work better than just asking me out. I mean you’re… you and all tall, dark and handsome and I’m me and I still play too many videogames and I’ve got graduation in a week. Not sure what why you think you don’t have a chance.” 

“I’m socially awkward and what you see isn’t what you get?” Derek suggested. “Most people with a brain - you know, people like you - tend to immediately write me off as some kind of dumb, narcissistic asshole. So, I was… kinda planning on just being around for a while. Run into you at things. Get to know you better as just a guy. I might have kinda looked into interning with your dad…”

“What…?” Stiles spluttered, eyes widening at that in a way that made Derek cringe.

“Yeah. Sort of. Kind of a lame idea, I know.”

Stiles’ mouth moved like he wanted to say something but he couldn’t. After a moment though it broke into a smile. “So I like pizza. And Scott and the others we usually do trivia at this pizza place on Tuesdays. You should come with us,” he said, biting at his lip to keep his smile in check. “I know it’s not working for my dad, but…” 

Derek echoed the smile. “I like trivia. And pizza. I like pizza as well,” Derek agreed, eagerly. “And I’d make a really, really bad cop, so there’s that. Probably best for everyone that they don’t have to see me try and go through that. It would be painful.”

“Actually, it would mostly be copying. And filing. With some archiving and lugging of boxes if you’re really good,” Stiles told him with a shrug and a resigned smirk. “It’s been my summer job since I was twelve.”

“Well, then it’s a good thing I didn’t apply. I wouldn’t want to take your job.” Derek smiled softly, but Stiles laughed again. 

“Trust me. He’d still find work for me to do. Trivia though, that’s more fun. It’s the only thing they like having me at because I’m amazing at useless information.” Stiles looked at the ground, then back at Derek. “And tonight, maybe we can hang out some more?” 

Derek took a breath, but then nodded, reluctantly. “Sure - tonight,” he agreed. “I guess… you probably have things to do here, right?” he assumed. Tonight suddenly seemed a very long way off.

Stiles stared at him. “Where did you get that idea from?” he asked in a way that made Derek feel like he’d suddenly grown another head.

“Because you don’t want to hang out ‘til tonight?” he offered up. “I assumed…”

“Never assume, or people will start quoting stupid-ass phrases at you,” Stiles warned. “You’re not getting the whole picture here, are you, Derek? I don’t know where you got whatever mental image you have of my life and it’s flattering and all because it’s clearly more exciting that, say, my _actual life_ , but I don’t have a whole lot happening. My plan for today was mostly to hang here and hope that I can get enough people to talk to me that I don’t feel like a complete loser for all of the time and then maybe get some swimming in.”

Derek stared at him, still confused. “So you want to…” 

“Yes, spend the day talking to you. Introduce you to my friends. Possibly go swimming.” 

Derek nodded. “I think I can do that.” 

“Good. ‘Cause if you couldn’t… yeah didn’t bring the Xbox with me to make up for another lonely night.” 

Derek was about to answer that when suddenly Cora appeared at his elbow. “Derek,” she said, smiling up at him with that tight smile that told him very clearly that he wasn’t going to like whatever she had to say. She looked over at Stiles. “Hi, Stiles - great to see you here.”

“Oh. Yeah. Hey, Cora,” Stiles replied, awkwardly as Derek returned his sister’s smile with one of his own - though his was more along the ‘fuck off and stop bothering me whilst I’m talking to a cute guy and it’s actually going well’ type of a look.

“So - mom sent me over,” Cora said and Derek groaned, bringing a hand up to cover his face.

“No,” he told her, though Cora carried on regardless.

“She says to say…”

“No,” Derek repeated, though he already know protests were futile.

“...That you should bring your ‘friend’ over to our table...”

“No.”

“...Because she would just _love_ to meet him!” Cora was clearly enjoying this far too much. She even bounced - and Cora never bounced.

“No, Cora. No.”

“Great! I’ll tell her you’ll be over in five,” she said, cheerfully, then headed off.

Stiles’s eyebrows were so far up on his face they were practically at his hairline. “So that was…” 

“A set up? Torture? My family in a nutshell?” Derek suggested sounding much younger than twenty-two. People would think that it wasn’t the sort of thing that would still happen at his age, but apparently not so much. 

“You worried they won’t like me?” Stiles sounded like he was teasing, but there was something else behind it, a true concern. Like he really thought they wouldn’t like him. 

Derek shook his head. “Oh no, they’ll _love_ you. They’re just… a little intense. Only, maybe, with less of the ‘little’. My mom especially. She’s… kinda over-protective and might, erm, well - she’s probably gonna ask you what your intentions are.”

“What, seriously?” Stiles spluttered, laughing and clearly thinking Derek was joking. If only he were.

“Seriously,” he confirmed.

“I’ll have to come up with an appropriate answer,” Stiles mumbled a little. 

“An appropriate answer?” 

Stiles looked up and grinned. “Yeah, can’t really say ‘seducing your son’ as my intentions huh?” 

Derek choked on nothing and fought back his own thoughts, which were suddenly so loud in his mind he was sure Stiles could hear them. He was going to say something, but Stiles had his hand around Derek’s arm and started pulling him towards the table where his family was.

“Come on. This’ll be fine. Up next you’ll have to meet my dad and odds are this’ll be easy.”


	3. Chapter 3

Derek let Stiles pull him back towards his family, and while he didn’t need to be pulled, it was kind of nice to have Stiles’ hand on his arm. Stiles found a spot on the bench next to Cora then smiled. “Hi,” he said as Derek sat across from him. 

“Mom, Laura - Stiles Stilinski,” he said as Stiles waved. 

“Stilinski, the Sheriff’s son?” Talia asked, holding out a hand for Stiles to shake. 

“Yup,” Stiles confirmed as he took her hand. “I go to school with Cora.” 

“Graduating this year?” she asked, and Stiles nodded. He was doing fine so far Derek noticed and didn’t even seem uncomfortable with the very obvious once over Laura was giving him. “Do you know what college you’re going to?”

“Well, I had a few choices, but I decided that I want to stay near dad, so I’m going to State.”

Talia hmmed a response. “And your major? Are you planning toward following your father into law enforcement, or…?”

“Maybe,” Stiles said. “I was thinking about profiling actually. I’d be better at that than being a proper cop you know? But I also like a bazillion other things, so I’m not sure yet. I haven’t decided. I figure I’ve got time to figure that out once I take every class I can get into. For all I know I could wind up a history major with a minor in literature.” He shot Derek a smirk, something playful. 

Derek wasn’t sure what went over better, the smirk or the answer, but his mother nodded as if Stiles had done well. “Good to hear. And your summer plans?” 

“Debauchery?” Stiles suggested with a laugh in his voice. “Enjoying my last summer with my friends before we go to college.” He cut his eyes back at Derek, curious look on his features, as if Derek might want to add to that, but Derek just sat there, an awed look on his face at how effortlessly Stiles was handling this. Most people found his mom intimidating, yet Stiles seemed to be entirely fearless.

The awe increased as his mother actually laughed. “You appear to have broken my son,” she said, amusement playing through her tone.

“I really hope not,” Stiles retorted, without missing a beat. “He promised to come swimming with me later.”

Derek swallowed then nodded. “I’m fine. And yes, swimming later.” 

“And then making out in the woods,” Cora snickered and Derek kicked her under the table. 

“Hey, maybe. We’ll see. I’m still not sure if he likes me.” Stiles smirked more, watching Derek. 

“Oh he likes you,” Laura said. “That’s obvious.” She looked at her mother who nodded as well. 

“Go on you two, go have fun. Cora, don’t antagonize your brother. He’s bigger than you are,” Talia said. 

“I’m faster,” Cora said as if it was a dare. 

“You weren’t the other day,” Derek said, but he got up when Stiles did. 

They were already heading away from the Hale table when Talia called out to them that Stiles needed to come for dinner, Saturday night. Derek sighed. “You don’t have to,” he whispered, low enough that his mother wouldn’t hear.

Stiles laughed. “Why would I not want to?” he asked, shaking his head before he called back over his shoulder that he’d love to.

“Because my family’s a lot to handle?” Derek suggested, second guessing himself about whether it would be okay to take Stiles’ hand. He ended up just lightly brushing his knuckles against Stiles’ - until Stiles firmly took Derek’s hand in his own.

“All families are a lot to handle. Yours is great. There’s so many of them,” Stiles said with a glance over his shoulder and a smile. “It’s nice. Plus, how bad can dinner be with like six people? Everyone’ll be distracted. When you have dinner at my house it’ll be three people and a full hour of my dad staring you down and asking you questions around why on earth you’d bother to hang out with me.” 

“Er, yeah - about that ‘six’,” Derek said, grimacing slightly. “Try more like twelve. Saturday dinner is an extended family gathering. So, mom, dad, my sisters, my uncle Peter and his family. Grandma, granddad, Great Aunt Catherine… But sure, yeah, you won’t get the _prolonged_ inquisition, just short bursts of repeated questioning.”

Derek should have expected the bark of laughter, but he didn’t and he couldn’t help but be surprised at the fact that Stiles didn’t seem anxious at the idea, just amused. “Awesome. I can’t wait.” 

“You… really?” Derek really wanted to play it cool, nod along, but he couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice. 

“Yeah really. It’s a proper date thing, meeting your family. I’ve never had one of those. Or a date. But… “ Stiles shrugged. “It means they like me and you like me, so...can’t be bad.” 

Derek pushed Stiles lightly with his shoulder. “Famous last words,” he warned. 

“Well, I also figure if it goes terribly, you can make it up to me.” Stiles grinned a little, something that looked like he couldn’t control it, but at the same time he didn’t make an effort to. 

“So - wanna go swimming?” Derek asked, pulling Stiles towards the lake.

“Uh, yes. I was the one that suggested it right?” Derek hoped he wasn’t imagining the way Stiles’ eyes drifted down because he was thinking along the same lines as Derek. 

“Right,” Derek agreed, pulling off his shirt and dropping it down by the shoreline. He smiled a little at the way that Stiles’ eyes practically bugged out of his head. That wasn’t the first time he’d had that reaction, but it was really great to get it from someone he was actually trying to impress.

Stiles fingers pulled at his shirt, but didn’t do more than raise it up around his waist and his eyes were still glued to Derek’s torso. “Maybe I should just watch. From here. You know...clothed.” 

“Why would you do that?” Derek smiled and moved a step closer to Stiles, enjoying the way the younger man’s breath hitched slightly.

Stiles shook his head. “Safety precaution really. If you look that good and something were to happen to me, like I drown or something, no one’s going to notice. All they’ll see is you and...abs that go on for days.” 

A smile played across Derek’s lips. “I’m not going to let you drown,” he promised, taking another step closer to Stiles.

“Are you a lifeguard too? Because, well - maybe that’d be a better summer job than ‘cop’ for you? Really, they should hire you then give you a bonus just for turning up. A whole summer of you on the beach just in a pair of shorts and the whole town would be here and why are you interested in me again? There’s got to have been some mistake. Mix up. Wildly hallucinogenic drugs?”

Derek shook his head, not sure how exactly to react to Stiles’ rambling beyond closing the last of the space between them and tugging at the hem of Stiles’ shirt. “No mistake. Promise.” 

Stiles tried to make a huffing noise but Derek’s hand brushed his skin where he was trying to coax Stiles’ shirt off and the huff turned into more of a gasp. The sound alone sent Derek’s thoughts in a million directions they shouldn’t be here in public, but he couldn’t help it - especially not when Stiles was looking at him that way. As if there was no one else around. Derek swallowed and continued pulling at Stiles’ shirt, until the younger man and that intense look disappeared under a layer of oversized t-shirt and Stiles was distracted from touches by flailing to actually get the shirt off. That was the point that Derek took the opportunity to take a step back and head toward the water before he did something to embarrass himself.

When he looked over his shoulder as his feet hit the water, Stiles had manage to shake free of his shirt, leaving it on the ground next to Derek’s. His legs kept moving, but his eyes were stuck on Stiles, who had been so worried that he couldn’t keep up and he was so very wrong. Stiles, who was all long, lean limbs, was far more muscular than his baggy clothes let on. Derek guessed it was years of lacrosse that had done the trick and while he wasn’t bulky like his teammates, there was nothing scrawny about him.

Derek took his own moment to stare and it was clearly attention that was appreciated by Stiles, who blushed a lovely shade that went all the way down his neck, disappearing at his chest in a way that dragged Derek’s eyes down and left his running his tongue absently over his bottom lip.

“I don’t work out like you,” Stiles said, bashfully, as he reached Derek’s side.

“I don’t work out that much,” Derek responded, still distracted by the reality of the skin that he’d been fantasising about for the best part of a week now.

“Oh, then that just makes it worse. Guys like me take consolation in the fact that guys like you only exist with long painful hours of sweating it out in the gym,” Stiles protested, pushing at Derek. It wasn’t really enough to set him off balance, but Derek grabbed hold of Stiles and let his legs give way beneath him anyhow, sending them both tumbling into the water with a splash. Maybe it was selfish, but Derek had a splashing Stiles up against him, pushing at his chest and trying to push him deeper under the water, only to get pulled deeper himself. They wrestled like that for a few moments before Derek let go and Stiles pulled back, but not too far, grinning wildly. “It’s really not fair,” he said, hand on Derek’s chest as if he was steadying himself even though he looked steady enough. 

“Life sucks,” Derek agreed, nodding sagely, even though he was grinning widely and unapologetically. He took hold of Stiles’ wrist and tugged him forward, so he was up against him once more. He could get used to this, but he would prefer to get used to this without an audience, as the cat calls came floating across the water.

Stiles blushed once again, but there was amusement in his expression and dancing in those big brown eyes that said he didn’t mind all that much. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s head further out.”

Derek nodded, letting go of Stiles so he could lead the way. He tried not to think too far ahead of himself, of being close to Stiles, away from the attention of the others, what could happen, but by the time Stiles slowed, it was all he could think about. He couldn’t stop himself from getting closer, right next to Stiles. The water was just deep enough to stand in, but they were far enough out now that they didn’t have an obvious audience, and the sounds of the beach party were soft and dulled, even to his werewolf’s senses.

He could hear Stiles’ heart racing over the lapping of the waves, and knew that his own was doing exactly the same. Nervous tension and excitement hung in the air, an aura of heady anticipation as he put a steadying hand to Stiles’ waist.

“So, swimming, huh?” Stiles asked, clearly filling in the silence when Derek didn’t do anything else.

“Mmm, swimming,” Derek agreed. He didn’t really give a damn about swimming right now. The water was a nothing thing, compared to his absolute awareness of how Stiles felt, pressed lightly up against him.

“If I…” Stiles hesitated forward, but not all the way, biting at his lip. 

“Yeah,” Derek said with a nod. “Definitely yeah.” 

“Right. Okay.” Stiles hesitated then moved forward, more like lurched forward, pressing his mouth against Derek’s as Derek wrapped both arms around him, steadying them both, solid as a rock on the lake floor. Absently, he wondered if this was Stiles’ first kiss, but most of his attention was given to the fact that this was _their_ first kiss. To enjoying the feel of Stiles’ lips against his, the little moan that he couldn’t hold back as Derek deepen it. The way those perfectly bowed lips parted and the touch of his tongue as the scent of Stiles filled Derek’s nostrils.

He felt dazed when he eventually pulled back, stupid smile fixed on his face. He didn’t let go of Stiles in the least. Stiles’ eyes stayed closed for a moment before he cracked them, peeking at Derek, like he was trying to make sure Derek was there. The grin Stiles broke into he guessed matched his and before Derek could react, Stiles’ arms were around his neck and he was pressed even closer. “You could have done that a while ago you know,” Stiles teased, but smiling with it. 

“Could I?” 

“Yeah, like prom night. Though...this might be better. Less cliche.” 

Derek laughed at that, taking a moment to kiss Stiles again, more softly this time. “God forbid we’d become a prom night cliche,” he muttered against his lips.

“Well, to become a _real_ prom night cliche, we would have had to-” Derek couldn’t help the thoughts running through his head, or the way that his lips twitched up into a smile against Stiles’ mouth in a way that made Stiles break off into a little, “Oh,” of realisation. 

“Well - you could have done that too,” Stiles said, breathlessly.

Derek pulled back enough that he could see his eyes. “No, I couldn’t,” he said, seriously.

Stiles face dropped and some of the light disappeared from his eyes in a way that Derek decided immediately that he hated. “You couldn’t?” Stiles asked, his voice small.

“I kinda wanna do this properly,” Derek told him. He didn’t want to be Kate. Sneaking around, not telling their families, like there was something they had to hide, or be ashamed of.

Stiles made a face at that. “Prom night isn’t doing it properly? I mean I’m not talking like in the closet or whatever…” 

Derek shook his head, leaning in to kiss Stiles again. “I want to. I just think it should be… the right way. Not just some hook up.” 

Stiles grinned when they finally separated once again. “So, I’m not just your booty call then?” he teased, though Derek thought he looked strangely thrilled to just be in the position to ask that question.

“No - actually, I was thinking we could aim for something more like… boyfriend,” he suggested, tentatively, watching Stiles’ expression as he did so.

Stiles let out a choked laugh and shook his head. “Oh god I’m dreaming. I have to be.” 

Derek pinched his side which made Stiles jump and yelp, swatting at him. “See? You aren’t dreaming.” 

“You really just….yes, never mind, yes. I’m not asking that question.” Stiles lunged into another kiss, something harder than before. “Yes,” he breathed against Derek’s mouth when the kiss broke off. Derek didn’t even bother replying, just closed the gap between them and let the kisses speak for themselves.


	4. Chapter 4

By the time Derek was parked in front of Stiles’ house on Tuesday evening, he was already a nervous wreck. He hadn’t seen Stiles since before the weekend - which he knew was partially his own fault. Or, well, entirely his own fault. In an attempt to postpone the inevitable, Derek had convinced his mom that it was premature to have Stiles over for dinner before they’d even been able to start dating. Talia had magnanimously (in her opinion) backed down and agreed to put dinner back by a week. There were times when Derek hated his family.

Tonight was a casual thing, just going out for pizza and trivia with Stiles’ friends, but it technically was their first date and he was picking Stiles up like a proper boyfriend would. His family had made him almost miserable trying to get out the door, teasing him about his date and his boyfriend, which made Derek remember why he’d left home to go to college. It was like he was in high school all over again. They’d worked up his nerves and now he was sitting in his car, looking at the house in front of him. 

He hesitated a moment longer then got up, heading towards the door, hands tucked in his pockets. He’d tried to dress nice without going overboard, since it was still just pizza and trivia, but there was something nice about impressing Stiles since Stiles seemed to be receptive. 

He knocked and stood back, smiling as he heard Stiles’ distinctive cry of ‘I’ll get it!’ from inside the house, and then a thump, which sounded very much like his date had just fallen over something. It came as somewhat of a surprise then when Sheriff Stilinski opened the door.

By the looks of things, Derek wasn’t the only surprised one, as he was given the once over by the town’s head of law enforcement. He didn’t care what they said about not doing anything wrong and having nothing to fear, that look clearly said ‘I can always find something’.

“Can I help you?” the man who Cora had taken to calling ‘Derek’s future father-in-law’ asked.

Derek put on his best and politest smile and held out his hand. “Yes, I’m Derek - I’m here to pick up Stiles?” He hated the way that his voice had turned upwards into a question at the end there, when he’d been intending to make it a firm and confident statement. He was in his twenties, he should _not_ be being intimidated by parents any more. Unfortunately, Sheriff Stilinski seemed to have intimidation down to a fine art. Together with disapproval, it seemed.

The Sheriff stared at him for a moment then held up a finger. “Give me a minute,” he said before shutting the door in Derek’s face. That wasn’t a good sign. 

Derek could hear Stiles sputtering through the door. “Why did you close the door in his face?” 

“We talked about it being a guy because for some reason you were terrified that I was going to have a problem with that and you left off the part where he’s twenty-five.” 

“He’s not! Oh my god Dad, he’s not.” 

Derek looked up towards the sky, knowing this was going to happen. He knew he was too old for Stiles. 

“How old is he then?” 

“Twenty-two and I’ll have you know I’m eighteen, well above that legal age of consent and all that.” 

“You know those laws are the easiest to get around if I want to file a complaint.” 

“Dad! Listen to you. I’m an adult. And he’s the nicest guy in the world. Open the door, apologize for being a jerk. I’m going to find my phone.” Derek really didn’t want the door to open and was already taking a step backwards when it did open and Stiles’ father was there. 

“Derek right?”

Derek’s previously beaming smile was now awkward and nervous and only still plastered on his face because his mom had brought him up with strict behaviour guides with rules of politeness at their center. “Yes, Sir,” he said, falling back on being really, really polite.

Sheriff Stilinski didn’t seem particularly impressed, but he wasn’t being overly hostile either. “What do you want with my son?” he asked.

“We were going to go for pizza and trivia with some of his friends?” Derek said, deciding to answer that question in the immediate, rather than it’s more open meaning.

“And after that?” 

“I was going to bring him home.”

“You’re not planning on drinking at all, are you, Derek?”

“I don’t drink Sir,” Derek told him, watching the flash of surprise across the Sheriff’s face. Derek felt no need to add that the reason for that was that there was little point. Werewolves didn’t get drunk. Wouldn’t that one go down well right now - ‘No Sir, I’m not going to drink and drive, but I am a supernatural creature that’s not supposed to exist outside of movies that make us out to be monsters.’

“Well don’t start now. Not when you’re driving. And no matter how convincing he thinks he is, don’t get him drunk either. He’s still only eighteen,” the Sheriff insisted once he recovered from the surprise. “And he has a curfew.” 

“Dad. It’s a Tuesday. I have school tomorrow. It’s trivia, I do this every Tuesday.” Stiles was back and rolling his eyes at his father. “We’ll be home by midnight and if we decide to stop and make out in the car, I’ll make sure it’s three blocks away.” 

Both the Sheriff and Derek turned to Stiles at that. Derek didn’t dare look at the older man, and he just really wanted to sink into the floor. He was learning that Stiles had absolutely no filter on his mouth, and no sense of danger either. It was a dangerous combination.

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Relax everyone. No making out in the car, home by curfew. Promise. I’ll see you later dad,” he said before stepping outside to reach for Derek’s hand. “Come on.” 

Derek let Stiles lead him back towards the car, looking over his shoulder at where his father was still standing in the doorway. “You didn’t tell him...which part? That you had a date?” 

Stiles looked over at Derek and shook his head. “Left out the part where you’re in college. Trust me, he was excited I had a date.” 

“He looked like he wished he had his gun on him when he realised who I was,” Derek said. “That wasn’t exactly how I wanted to meet your father.”

Stiles grinned at him, his eyes flashing. “No - what did you have in mind then?” he asked, cheekily.

“Something where he’d let me take you out again,” Derek suggested. 

“Don’t worry about that. He’s fine. He’s just protective and I left out the part of you being in college because it seemed like a safer choice.” 

“You decided to lie to your father about me-”

“I didn’t lie, I just left some bits out!”

“Because you knew he wouldn’t approve.”

“He always jumps to the worst conclusions!”

Derek sighed and got into the car, resting his forehead on the steering wheel. This wasn’t how he expected tonight to go. He heard Stiles settle into the passenger seat, then felt a hand rest on his arm. “I’m sorry, Derek,” Stiles said, sounding honestly regretful. “I just… Wanted to get a couple of dates in, then I could talk about this great guy I’m seeing, and give my dad time to get over the shock that it’s a _guy_ I’m seeing. Ease him in gently. I didn’t mean for you guys to meet like this. But, I get it, if you want to call this off. I mean, I really don’t want you to and I don’t think you should, but if I’ve screwed it all up then just say and I’ll get it.”

Derek turned his head a little, looking at Stiles who looked as honestly regretful as he sounded. “I don’t want to call it off. I just don’t want your dad to shoot me.” He leaned back in his seat and turned the car on. “I like you. I really like you. That’s why it matters.” 

Stiles let his hand drift down Derek’s arm to his hand taking it in his and lacing their fingers together. “I like you too.” 

\-----

Derek decided that it was just destiny that every new meeting with Stiles was just going to be difficult in some way. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Stiles’ friends - though there were those very real moments where four years seemed like a lifetime and Derek felt every day older that he was - it was just that, apparently, the Beacon Hills rumour mill was alive and well.

They’d all known who he was, for starters. Derek was meeting this whole new bunch of people, had a group of names to memorise and personalities to learn and in return it felt like every single one of them knew him and his entire history already.

The only perk was Stiles sitting next to him, knee banging against Derek’s occasionally. And when there wasn’t food in his hands or he wasn’t trying to argue a point on the proper answer to a question, his hand was under the table as well, tapping little rhythms out on Derek’s knee with his fingers. 

“So Derek, you said you were graduating this year?” Lydia asked, leaning forward like she knew Stiles’ fingers had just half curled over his thigh and made Derek’s mind go somewhere much further than trivia night. His own hands curled into the wood of the seat beneath him. He didn’t dare touch Stiles in return, afraid of going too far, too fast and not entirely sure where the level of appropriate was.

“Yeah, this year,” he agreed, determinedly focusing his attention on Lydia as Stiles shifted his hand a little and those fingers that should be illegal started to design little patterns into the denim that encased Derek’s thigh.

“Any plans for after that?” Lydia asked, her smile wide and her eyes dancing with a silent mischief as she very clearly didn’t glance at where Stiles’ arm disappeared under the table.

“Still figuring that out. Looked into grad schools, looked into possible jobs. I’m not entirely sure just yet.” Derek wanted to bit his lip when Stiles pressed a tiny bit harder against his thigh, but he forced himself not to. 

“Grad school. Impressive. Wasn’t expecting someone so smart to be interested in Stiles,” she teased and Stiles gave her a dirty look. 

“What are you studying Derek?” Allison chimed in, as if trying to diffuse the potential back and forth from starting between Lydia and Stiles. 

“My major’s history, with a minor in literature. I was toying with the idea of maybe doing my thesis on fiction, myth and legend in their historical context. You know - where the stories come from and how reality gets twisted and comes out the other end as fiction.” That was something his mom was currently actively trying to talk him out of. She didn’t want people looking too closely at what was and wasn’t ‘real’, especially since Derek could bring such an apt perspective on things, but Derek couldn’t deny that it really was something he wanted to do.

“Wow. That’s...an interesting topic.” Allison looked a little bit thrown, like she was expecting something else. Derek wasn’t sure why, but something about the topic had her making an thoughtful face. 

“See? He’s fine. Smart, motivated, all those things. Stop asking mindless questions and answer this question about the real housewives of whatever…” Stiles waved the pad of papers for an answer in front of Lydia, who took it. 

“Kardasians. She married Kayne. Even you know that.” She said with a roll of her eyes, but she still wrote down to the answer. Stiles had a smug smile as he settled closer to Derek’s shoulder, pressing against it, fingers still on his thigh. 

“I’m glad she knew that, because I had no idea,” Derek admitted to Stiles in a murmur, leaning close into him.

“What, so you mean you’re not a closet reality TV show fan then?” Stiles quipped, looking up at Derek, who decided there and then that having Stiles leaning on his shoulder and looking up at him was possibly his favorite view ever. He was so gone on this guy it wasn’t even funny.

“No, not a reality TV fan,” Derek confirmed, finding his voice again. 

“Good to know,” Stiles said with a half a grin. “Any guilty pleasures I should know about?” 

_High schoolers with their hands on my thigh_. “Not yet. No one spills those on a first date.” 

“So it is a date!” Jackson smacked the table next to Derek with a grin on his face like he’d just caught up with everything. 

“Yes, sweetie, we went over this.” Lydia said with a sigh. 

“Yes, I said, so Stiles is dating that guy and you said no, he’s not. He’s just spending time with him and I knew you were full of it.” 

Lydia rolled her eyes and looked at Derek, tossing her long hair back over her shoulder. “Please excuse my boyfriend. Apparently sarcasm isn’t something he’s familiar with yet,” she said, sunnily.

“Though, to be fair,” Allison added. “Stiles wasn’t exactly clear.”

“And we didn’t want to ask,” Scott told him.

Derek looked down at Stiles, who as usual seemed to be trying to sink into the floor - though this time his route seemed to be through Derek’s shoulder. As usual, it was in no way working. “I thought we discussed this,” Derek said, quietly.

“Didn’t want to jinx anything,” Stiles said, not looking up at all.

“What were you going to jinx?” 

Stiles shrugged. “That you asked at all. That you meant it and weren’t suffering from sunstroke or anything.” 

Derek shook his head slowly. “Definitely not suffering from sunstroke. Definitely meant it.”

“Meant what?” Jackson asked, shifting his chair closer to Derek and Stiles as if he’d been left out of a conversation. At least he did until he flinched hard and glared at Lydia. “Why are you kicking me? We can hear them. They’re having the conversation in front of us. I can ask.” 

“No you can’t.” Lydia looked like she was trying to train Jackson and it wasn’t sticking. 

“I have been nice to him for the past two years; I can ask about this.” 

“Nice is a relative term Jackson,” Stiles said shaking his head before sitting up straighter. “Derek’s my boyfriend. That’s what he meant.” 

Oh God. He was hanging out with teenagers. Including teenage girl who actually squealed at the news. Derek powered through it, reminding himself that Stiles was worth it. That age was just a number. That Stiles was leaving high school and going off to college and he and his friends would mature fast there.

There was a slight distraction with the next question coming up, something Stiles knew before it got finished asking and he jumped up to turn it in, leaving Derek alone with his friends. “So you know you could do better right?” Jackson asked, leaning in conspiratorially until Lydia kicked him again. 

“Shut up Jackson,” Stiles said, sitting next to Derek again and mouthing ‘sorry’ at him. 

“Better’s a relative term,” Derek said, ignoring Stiles and Lydia and speaking straight to Jackson, intent on challenging his ignorant insult head on. “I like Stiles, and he likes me and that’s all the better I need. It’s not really up to you to suggest otherwise, since you really don’t know me at all.”

Jackson gave Derek a look, like he considered challenging him back before waving Derek off all together. “Whatever. Have at him. He’s all yours. Makes our lives easier.” 

Derek stared at Jackson for a moment, before giving Stiles an _is this guy for real?_ look that Stiles just returned with a shrug that suggested that not only was it for real, but that Stiles was long used to that kind of treatment from someone who was, apparently, a friend. Derek’s expression darkened and he reached forward to take a sip of his drink, trying to convince himself and his inner wolf that hauling off and hitting the smug grin off Jackson’s face was not socially acceptable behaviour for meeting your boyfriend’s friends, even if one of them was a total ass.

What really calmed and grounded him though was the way Stiles' hand found his knee again, tracing lazy circle patterns with his thumb. It was like the younger man knew exactly what to do, but when Derek looked at him, he was listening to Allison and Scott talk about avoiding their parents while still trying to spend time together and how Scott had almost broken an arm trying to climb _in_ window.

“Your parents have a problem with you two being together?” Derek asked, before thinking that maybe that was a tactless question. He blamed it on his earlier run in with Stiles’ father, which destroyed any illusions he had about being the kind of guy that people would be happy to take home and meet the parents. He was still feeling on edge about the entire experience.

Scott looked at Allison, who sighed and nodded. “My parents are worried about me losing focus really. They've always been overprotective, but it never bothered me before. Now...things are different.” 

“She means sex,” Stiles clarified even if Allison hit him for it. 

_Yup,_ Derek thought _\- absolutely no brain-mouth filter._

Scott was blushing but he at least managed to nod. “He's kinda right. There's a lot of lectures about teen pregnancy and how college will be different, all that.” Allison gave him a look, but wound up nodding. 

“At least you don't have to listen to that lecture from my dad,” Stiles offered with a smile that didn't go all the way to his eyes.

Derek sighed softly at that look, knowing Stiles was still feeling guilty about earlier on. He subtly reached over under the table and ran the tips of his fingers down the outside of Stiles’ thigh, watching as Stiles immediately relaxed and that smile morphed into a real one.

“No - I won’t get that lecture from your dad. Just the one about not being a bad influence, or corrupting you.” Derek shrugged a shoulder. “I get it - I get why he’d be worried. I mean, _I_ know that you’re safe with me, but he doesn’t. If I have to sit through a load of questioning and lectures, then I figure it’s a better alternative than him deciding that I can’t see you.” Which was a risk he was aware of. It was exactly what his mom had done with Kate and why sneaking around with Stiles was the last thing on his mind. They were going to do this properly, with his dad’s approval and blessing, or there was the risk that they wouldn’t be able to do this at all.

“You? A bad influence on Stiles? I’d be worried about the other way around,” Scott huffed. 

“Scott. Shut up. And it’s fine Derek. He got caught off guard. He’s doing a background check on you as we speak and provided it comes back fine, he can’t legally hold anything against you. Promise.” Stiles looked nervous, but he was trying hard to hide it and seem like it wasn’t a big deal. “He’s not going to decide I can’t see you. I’ve never even had an anything before or a date to prom, so there’s no way in hell I’m letting him break us up.” 

Derek shot Stiles a mock-serious look and said, deadpan, “So, he’s not going to mind about those times I was arrested for murder then?”

For a second Stiles’ eyes went wide, like he believed Derek until it dawned on him that Derek was joking and he punched his arm. “No. Won’t mind a bit that I’m dating a felon.” 

“Well, that’s a relief,” Derek said, his eyes dancing with amusement. He looked round to see Scott, Allison and Lydia watching them like they were the most precious thing ever.

Scott spoke first, shaking his head. “I actually thought I would never see this day.”

“Someone who actually _gets him_ ,” Lydia agreed.

“I’m not that complicated!” Stiles said, as if it might cover up for the fact that he was blushing. 

“Stilinski, you’re the most confusing thing I’ve ever met. And Lydia mumbles in languages I don’t understand.” Jackson didn’t really look amused, but at least his tone wasn’t as biting as it could be. 

“It was archaic latin and the secret to learning languages is to practice them,” Lydia said, archly. Derek nodded in agreement with that.

“You speak languages?” Allison asked, in that same tone that Derek was quickly beginning to recognise as her ‘peacemaker’ tone, when she was trying to deflect away from potential arguments.

“Only a couple, really. Spanish mostly, some French and I took a medieval literature course that meant I had to pick up some Latin and old English, which may as well be a completely different language,” he admitted, pulling a face.

“You’re joking,” Stiles said, mouth opening a little. 

“Shit. He’s dating Lydia,” Scott said, backtracking when Lydia gave him a look. “The guy version obviously.” 

“Not joking,” Derek said, watching Stiles scratch at his head in bewilderment. 

“I am so out of my league,” Stiles breathed, shaking his head. Derek just laughed at that.

“Says the guy who’s answered at least half of the trivia questions tonight,” he said, only for Lydia to protest that. Derek glanced her way and added, “He knew the answers as well - you just sometimes got there before him.”

“Spanish and French are a hell of a lot better than random trivia,” Stiles said, still shaking his head. 

“My mother’s cousin lives in South America. I spent a few summers there as a kid. You pick things up. French was because I had to take a language at college and I couldn’t think of anything more boring than being taught something I already knew,” Derek explained.

Stiles just shook his head again. “You’re definitely not real. It’s official. I’m dreaming.”

“Yup,” Derek said without remorse. “Hate to break it to you, but this entire thing is just a prolonged hallucinogenic trip. Someone spiked the punch at prom. You’re gonna have such a bad hangover when you wake up tomorrow,” he teased.

“Well if that’s the case, I should make the most of it right?” Stiles said, leaning forward to kiss at the corner of Derek’s mouth with a light smile. 

“Oh God, get a room!” Jackson groaned, which earned him a dirty look from Stiles.

“Shut up, Whittemore - you didn’t say a damn thing when Scott and Allison were all over each other earlier.”

Jackson glared back at Stiles. “You calling me homophobic? Me? When Danny’s my best friend? Screw you, Stilinski!”

Stiles opened his mouth to retort, but Derek put his hand on his knee which settled him and at least kept him from yelling back at Jackson. “Being best friends with Danny doesn’t give you a pass on everything.” 

“Look, Stilinski - if you’ve decided you’re gay, or bi or whatever then fine. I have no problem with that, but it doesn’t mean I’m suddenly go to be fine with you two making out over pizza when there is trivia to be won. Get your geeky head in the game.”

Derek and Stiles shared a glance, then Stiles shook his head, which Derek took to mean that it just wasn’t worth fighting over. Derek took a breath and determinedly shut up as they all bent their heads to the rest of the quiz.


	5. Chapter 5

“Well, Jackson’s a complete and utter douche then,” Derek surmised, once they were back in his car and he was driving Stiles home. 

Stiles nodded. “He has been since we were kids. Probably before puberty,” he mused. “Dad’s child psychology books have entire sections about adopted rich kids and Jackson’s essentially their case study.”

Derek glanced over with a sly smile. “Okay, I’ll bite - how many of your dad’s child psychology books have you read, and how old were you when you read them?” he asked, amused.

“All of them? I think he bought five or so over the course of seven or eight years. Read the first one at thirteen? When I was fifteen he caught me reading his latest one about dealing with an unruly teen and gave up using them as any sort of reference.”

“Know thy enemy?” Derek suggested with a little laugh.

Stiles shrugged. “We get on a whole lot better these days, but it was touch and go for a while.” He fell silent and Derek wondered for a moment if that was all he had to say. Just as Derek was about to change the subject, Stiles started up again, speaking a little faster, as though he just wanted to get this out before he changed his mind. “After mom died, it was hard. I was…a really difficult kid and he wasn’t really prepared to deal with me on his own. I didn’t make anything easier. He…drank a lot. I mean, never around me and no way was he one of _those_ dads but…I kinda notice things? And I knew that after I’d gone to bed, the whiskey would come out. There were some nights that he’d fall asleep at his desk with an empty glass, a bottle and case files and I’d find him like that the next day.”

Derek wanted to reach out and hold Stiles’ hand, but Stiles fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. “He seems better now.”

Stiles nodded. “He is. We...figured out how to take care of each other. I figured out how to be less of a pain in the ass and maybe cut him a tiny bit of slack and he figured out that I rarely do things with the intent of giving everyone headaches.” Stiles chewed on his lip and shook his head. “Mom always got me though. She... believed me? No matter how ridiculous.”

“There was ridiculous?” Derek asked, raising a brow at that.

“Of course there was. I was seven. Imaginary friends, imaginary worlds, monsters, all that. She never once looked at me like I was nuts.” Stiles smiled a little and reached for his hair, twisting it in his fingers and tugging at it. “She had the best games. And everything was something to learn about or discover. Even the mundane stuff.”

“What monsters?” Derek asked, unable to resist that. He thought of Cora’s warning, and ignored it. He needed to put feelers out about how Stiles may feel about the world he currently knew nothing about. Derek had to be prepared - especially since the more he got to know Stiles, the more he knew he wanted to keep getting to know him, over an extended period of time.

Stiles looked up, surprised at the question. “Standard stuff I guess. Ghosts, giant squids and sharks, whatever lives under the bed,” he said. “I watched ten minutes of a zombie movie and that freaked me out, and Scott and I watched a werewolf movie once and then avoided the neighborhood dogs for a month.”

Derek tried not to look more interested when werewolves were mentioned. He wasn’t surprised to hear the negative connotations there. He had no illusions about how his kind were portrayed by the media. It did give him a general impression of Stiles though. “So, you’re not a fan of the creature feature type stuff then?” he asked, keeping his tone casual and his eyes on the road. 

“What? No. Fucking love that shit. Just shouldn’t have tried to watch it when I was nine. I think I’ve seen all the major monster movies at this point. And the zombie movies. I actually saw the Twilight movies, which I am ashamed of, but the first one had a buncha hot people in it and then Scott and I got sucked in and there was no going back you know? I had to know how it ended. Which it turns out is terribly.” Stiles grinned a little. “What about you? All foreign films with subtitles?”

Derek chuckled. “There’s a time and a place for that, sure. Along with all of the rest - though, Twilight? Really? All the brooding and lurking got to me. I didn’t even make it through the first movie,” Derek said. Never mind that there was no way he was watching the rest with their representation of werewolves. He didn’t know what they’d done and he had no wish to know. He tended to avoid werewolf movies entirely.

“Oh it was terrible. By the end we were hate-watching them, but at least we had fun yelling at the TV and throwing popcorn at it. That’s about all you can do when something just completely bastardizes proper myths and legends.”

Derek shrugged. “Hence my thesis,” he said.

“Oh yeah - you wanted to study all that, right? But, I guess you’d be looking at books rather than movies?”

“Possibly. Depends on if the angle goes more pop culture media over literature. But, sad as it is to admit, Twilight counts as a book, so it could still be used as a reference.” Derek made a face, but it broke into a grin as Stiles laughed.

“‘Stoker to Twilight: The Voyage of the Vampire’,” Stiles suggested, making Derek chuckle at the possible title.

“Catchy, but I was intending to link fiction to origin, and the vampire goes back a few millennia more than that,” Derek told him.

“Can you compare origin to fiction if the thing in question doesn’t exist? Wouldn’t you just be comparing the origin of the myth to or are you going to go with the normal people who drank blood because they thought it had healing properties or something equally ridiculous?” Stiles asked, genuinely sounding curious.

Derek smiled a little, thinking of the fact that not everything didn’t exist. Still, but answered (mostly) honestly. “I’m not sure yet. I’m not sure if I’ll go forward with it at all. It’s something that really interests me - the origin of things, and how the quote-unquote ‘truth’ of something changes and develops, but it’s not exactly the kind of thing that is going to be all that useful in my life. And yes - that’s probably my mom talking when I say that,” he admitted.

Stiles shrugged a little. “Guess it depends on what you want to do in life. Something like that, if you do it right, could score you some sweet grad school acceptance. Or work your way towards being the guy in those Librarian movies. Though if you wanted to do something more practical like business, you might have picked the wrong major.” He smirked a little. “I’m the wrong person to ask. I’m notorious for trying to twist topics to something that interests me rather than the actual topic.”

“I can think of nothing worse than a nine to five office job,” Derek said, with feeling. The truth was that he didn’t have to worry about the money and had no reason to go into something that would pay well unless he would enjoy it.

“Oh god - me either,” Stiles agreed, with a laugh. “Can you see me in an office? They’d kick me out.”

Derek couldn’t help but smile at Stiles, at the casual way he just assumed Derek knew him already even though they hadn’t known each other that long. “I can imagine you in a suit,” Derek said, flirtatiously, noting the way that his tone made Stiles sit up a little straighter and look across. “You’d look really good in a suit. Though...”

“Yeah?” Stiles asked, his breath hitching a little.

“Though, I’m forever gonna see you in that pair of converse.”

“Huh?” Stiles asked, clearly having expected something else.

“The shoes you were wearing at prom. You were sat at that table, with your feet up. Dressed up to the nines, but with these ratty sneakers on. It was one of the first things I noticed about you. I thought you looked like a rockstar,” Derek admitted.

Stiles laughed and shook his head. “The shoes I was supposed to wear hurt. I wasn’t about to go all night and be that uncomfortable. Lydia had a fit when I showed up in these,” he said waving his foot for emphasis, wearing the same shoes. “I’m gonna tell her that rockstar part though, even if it couldn’t be farther from the truth.”

“You not particularly musical?” Derek asked him as he turned down the road to the Stilinski house.

“No, I’m not. And I lack that suave or whatever,” Stiles said, but he didn’t sound as interested in the topic as he looked at the window.

“You okay?” Derek asked instead of pushing the topic they had been discussing.

“Yeah fine. Just... is it weird to say I don’t want to go home?”

Derek immediately pulled over to the side of the road, stopping the car. Turning to Stiles, he reached across and put a hand on his shoulder. “What’s up?” he asked, his brows furrowing in concern.

Stiles frowned when they pulled over, looking at Derek confused for a moment then his face changed to something more amused. “I’m having a good time,” he said, turning himself and reaching for Derek’s shirt to pull him closer. “And if I go home, it ends.”

Derek felt himself relax, realising only belatedly how much he had been on his guard, immediately moving to a protective stance the moment that there was any indication that maybe everything wasn’t okay. He ran his eyes over Stiles - this boy was getting to him so much. He didn’t want to let him go. Didn’t want his night to be over either. The idea of having to drive away, leaving him behind, it made his inner wolf whine in despondency, even as he closed the game between the two of them and let Stiles kiss him.

Stiles kissed him in a way that seemed eager, like he’d been waiting all night to get Derek alone so he could do just that. Derek found himself leaning even more into it, deepening the kiss just to hear the muffled noise Stiles made.

Stiles twisted against him, fumbling downwards in a way Derek didn’t understand until there was a dual click and suddenly he was loose from the seatbelt and Stiles was pulling him over even more, almost bodily dragging him over the console.

Derek tried hard not to laugh, even as he shifted to move closer. “You know this isn’t ideal,” he murmured against Stiles mouth, kissing him between words.

“Yeah, well, it’s better than anything I’ve ever had before,” Stiles said, pulling back enough that Derek could take in his darkened eyes, kiss-plumped lips and the way his hair was all askew. That sight shouldn’t be able to affect him quite as much as it did, he was sure. It seemed that every time he saw this guy, he was having to rethink things. Originally, he had thought that his favourite Stiles look was him all dressed up. Then it had been Stiles in swimwear. Now - now it was Stiles looking less than put together and thoroughly wanting. It made Derek want to find out what he would look like truly debauched.

“That’s a travesty,” Derek said with a smile. “You deserve better.” Though he was aching for more now, despite the center console digging into his hip.

“Would the backseat be better?” Stiles asked, voice hopeful enough to make Derek laugh. He’d thought he’d moved past making out in the backseat of cars, but maybe not.

“Yes, it would,” he said, after a beat in which Stiles took his laugh in completely the wrong way, and Derek had to cup his cheek in his head to stop the embarrassed blush and the way Stiles was trying to look anywhere but at Derek. The three words did the trick, as Stiles firstly looked back at him, wide eyed, and then started scrambling over and between the seats into the back, like a kid on Christmas morning. Derek, who had slightly more dignity than that, opened the driver’s door and exited, before getting into the back seat, trying not to feel completely weird about this.

Stiles barely gave him a chance to think more on it, pulling Derek in for a kiss the moment he was in the car. It was better, even if short of ideal, because at least now he could get his hands around Stiles’ waist and pull him closer. Stiles went easily, moaning in a way that went straight to Derek’s core as Stiles slid his hips forward and tugged on Derek’s shoulders, trying to shift them both so that the were laying down with Derek over him. Stiles hands ran up and down Derek’s back, painting a never-ending pattern up and down his spine as Derek tried to keep somewhat in control of the situation. He broke the kiss and dropped his head to Stiles’ neck, scattering kisses along his jawline until Stiles threw his head back, exposing that long line of neck, which Derek couldn’t resist burrowing his face into, nuzzling with little puppy bites that wouldn’t break the skin. Giving into the urge to scent Stiles, the need to be so close to him, even if the other guy had no real concept of what he was doing.

Stiles seemed to be enjoying it though, moaning softly and twisting his fingers in the hair at the nape of Derek’s neck in a way that pinned Derek where he was. Derek was drowning in Stiles’ scent, which just got sharper the more Derek kissed him. When Stiles rolled his hips up to Derek’s his breath caught in his throat and instinctively he pressed Stiles’ hips back down into the seat with a slightly too strong grip.

Stiles gasped, opening his eyes just as Derek realised what he had done and was already pulling away, spilling apologies from his lips, only for them to be kissed away by Stiles, his hands clasping Derek firmly on either cheek. “No - no, don’t go anywhere,” Stiles practically pleaded, tilting his hips upward, searching for more.

“I wasn't...you’re sure?” Derek struggled to ask because Stiles shifting his hips was killing him slowly, driving Derek to just push him back, rolling his hips back in return. 

“So, so sure,” Stiles said, eagerly, pulling Derek down again, plastering their bodies together and that was all Derek could take. He finally let go of anything approaching hesitation, grasping at Stiles and holding him close, kissing him deeply as he wrapped his arms around the younger man.

Stiles made a happy noise somewhere in the kiss, just like Derek wanted him to. He had one hand tangled in Derek’s hair, the other grabbing his shoulder so hard Derek could feel his short nails through his shirt. Derek’s hand was just working its way up Stiles’ side, pulling at his shirt when something heavy and metal rapped against the window, making him jump back from Stiles, sitting up more. 

Stiles whimpered trying to keep Derek was until the flashlight beam came through the fogged up windows and he groaned loudly. “Fucking A…”

“I know you’re in there!”

“I still have a half hour til curfew dad!” Stiles called out, not moving from his position, even as Derek scrambled to pull his shirt back into place and straighten up his hair.

“I’m rethinking your curfew right now. Front and center, both of you,” the Sheriff called. The only thing Derek could be thankful for was that the man hadn’t actually just opened up the door and looked in. Especially since Stiles still hadn’t moved, and remained lying sprawled out on the back seat, leaving exactly nothing to the imagination - his shirt was half pushed up his chest and, while he still had his jeans on, Stiles’ enjoyment of what they had been doing was clearly apparent through the material. It was a sight that, under other circumstances, Derek would have really appreciated.

“What happens if I just say no?” Stiles called back. “And sit here until curfew? Or until you realize I’m eighteen and curfews are stupid?” 

“Stiles.” The Sheriff and Derek said it at the same time in two completely different tones. The Sheriff sounded angry. Derek was half pleading. 

“I want to keep dating you,” Derek pointed out softly, smoothing the front of his shirt, then reaching to pull Stiles’ back down. Stiles let out a dramatic sigh and sat up, leaning forward to kiss Derek again. 

“Then I will cater to his madness, but just for you. I still think curfews are stupid. What trouble could I really get into?” Stiles kissed Derek once more then shifted to open the car door and look up at his father. “Happy?” 

Derek glanced up from behind his boyfriend. The Sheriff looked decidedly _un_ happy. “Out of the car, Stiles.”

Stiles made a show of getting out, huffing loudly and complaining all the way. Derek followed behind, instinct making him switch to submissive beta - all lowered shoulders, no eye contact, and dipped head. Making himself as little of a perceived threat as possible.

“I think this is totally unfair. I _warned_ you that I was thinking about it,” Stiles was saying as he got out of the car and leaned against it. 

“Stiles, stop talking,” The Sheriff said, looking angry and tired at the same time. “We need to talk about this.” 

“You just told me to stop talking Dad,” Stiles quipped but he looked at his father and threw his hands up in the air. “Jesus Dad we were making out in the car. Fine. Caught us. We might have even considered second base. But we’re not being massively irresponsible.” 

“Derek’s how much older than you?” the Sheriff asked. “No offense son. I just don’t think my son realizes what comes next.” 

“I’m fully aware! I’ve done research. Seriously, Dad, we aren’t having the sex talk. We had that when I was fifteen!” 

“Yes, when the object of your affections was Lydia Martin. It's a different conversation, Stiles.”

Derek watched as Stiles seemed to hover in between being mad at his dad, and being touched by the concern. Touched won out, as Stiles bodily dropped a little and a lopsided grin appeared on his face. “Okay, Dad. It's not needed, but if you want to give me the gay sex talk, I guess I can sit through it.”

The Sheriff looked uncomfortable at Stiles’ bluntness, yet pleased with the answer and in the end he wound up just rolling his eyes at his son. “Go home Stiles,” he ordered, pointing with the flashlight. “We’ll talk when I get there.” 

Stiles made a face, but he nodded, moving closer to Derek to kiss him lightly. “Talk to you later okay?” he said then started walking back towards his house after Derek nodded. Both the Sheriff and Derek watched him walk away until his father turned his focus back on Derek. 

“Sir I…” Derek started but the Sheriff waved him off. 

“Don’t apologize. I know better. You aren’t sorry about what happened you’re sorry you got caught.” 

Derek straightened up a little more at that, brows furrowing a little. “No,” he said, clearly, but without aggression. “I wasn’t going to apologize. I was going to say that _I_ should have known better.” Derek didn’t want to go sneaking around with Stiles. 

“Probably,” the Sheriff agreed, but after a moment he sighed and his shoulders drooped as if he couldn’t hold up being angry for all that long. “He’s… all I’ve got. And he’s still seven to me sometimes. Which is ridiculous, I realize, but I worry about him. And strange men. This was easier when it was Lydia and she was distant and he was just pining.” 

“Lydia’s an idiot for not seeing how great Stiles is,” Derek said, glancing back toward the house, to see Stiles standing on the porch watching them. He was too far distant to be able to hear what they were saying with normal, human hearing, but Derek gave him a reassuring smile before he turned back to the Sheriff. “I really like your son. He’s…” Derek trailed off, letting his expression answer just how much he was into the younger man. He continued as the Sheriff sighed in what sounded like resignation. “I don’t want to push him too fast, or rush into anything, but - this isn’t a casual thing for me either. My mom’s invited him over to dinner to meet the family this weekend-” Derek didn’t mention the fact that she would have preferred for that dinner to already have taken place. “-and I just want to spend time with him. I don’t want to do that behind your back, and I don’t want to put Stiles in any situation that gets your disapproval.” Derek hoped that was enough. It was definitely more of a speech than he thought he’d ever made in his life.

The Sheriff stared at him, watching him, and eventually nodded. “No more sneaking around then. And if your parents get dinner, so do I. You can come over, we’ll have a real meal and talk about what it is you have planned and what you want,” he said, giving orders, though the edge wasn’t in his voice. 

Derek nodded. “I think that’s reasonable. As soon as you want.” 

“Good. Sunday. You can do both sets of parents in one weekend.” The Sheriff nodded as if he was finally pleased with something. 

Derek closed his eyes and hung his head. “God, Stiles is gonna kill me,” he muttered.

“Why would that be?”

Derek looked back at the Sheriff, taking in the inquiring expression. “Both sets of families in one weekend?” Derek shook his head - he wasn’t trying to get out of it. He just knew that things were going to get… interesting. “I’ll bring pie - do you have a preference to type?” he asked.

“To a type of pie? Pie alone sounds amazing. My son has put some sort or moratorium on good food out of concern for my health. You pick.” The older man managed part of a smile. “It’ll be fine. Can’t get any worse than this right?” he said nodding towards the car. 

“No, probably not.” Derek looked at the car with a tiny wince. 

“It doesn’t happen again, you hear me. I don’t want to have to arrest my own son.” There was a heartbeat’s pause, then, “Or his boyfriend.”

“No sir. Won’t happen again,” Derek confirmed. At least, it wouldn’t happen in the car. Derek’s will simply was nowhere near strong enough to even think about making a promise that he wouldn’t touch Stiles again.

“Glad we have that settled then. I’ll see you on Sunday, Derek - six sharp.” Derek stood by his car and watched as the Sheriff headed off, taking the steps to his house and having to pull a flailing Stiles inside with him. Derek laughed a little at that, unsure about whether it was because of Stiles or because he’d just, possibly literally, dodged a bullet.

Derek was just walking in the door of his own house when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out as he dodged the living room and his family, not in the mood to answer questions about how the date had gone, smiling at Stiles’ name on the notification. 

**He threaten to arrest you?**

Derek half laughed as he answered the text. **Yeah, you too though. And he called me your boyfriend.**

There was only a moment before Stiles responded. **Figures. He had that smug ‘I just threatened to arrest someone’ look when he came in.** There was a pause before the next text came in. **Good that he called you that. Means he realizes that this isn’t just a phase or a thing or whatever.**

**Good, because it’s not.** Derek hit send before he realized he wasn’t done, and followed it up immediately with. **Hope that’s okay by you.**

**Duh. Dude. Of course it’s okay. More than okay. Like thousand times more than okay.**

Derek smiled at the reply as he lay down on the bed and sent back. **He told me to come over for dinner on Sunday.** He was surprised when he didn’t get an immediate response - Stiles had proved himself to be the answering type of texter, as garrulous in text as he was in speech. The sudden silence felt weird.

A reply didn’t come until a couple of hours later, by which time Derek had showered and was sitting up in bed, reading a book, his thick framed glasses perched on his nose. His phone buzzed with an incoming text and he put the book down to read it.

**OMG kill me now. That was far more fucking embarrassing than I thought it would be. He had PICTURES Derek. Pictures. He’d researched this shit.**

Derek was glad Stiles wasn’t there because he knew he was supposed to be sympathetic, but the idea of Stiles trying to sit through a sex talk with his father that involved visual aids made him laugh. **Maybe the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.** It was probably more teasing than it should have been, but he couldn’t help it. 

**Shut up you. :P** Stiles sent back. **I think his goal was to turn me off from it all together, but lucky for you he failed completely.**

Derek felt himself blush, which was just stupid considering he was alone and it was only a text message, but his mind immediately went back to the car and Stiles and it was impossible to think about anything else. **Lucky me is right** he sent back but his hands were shaking slightly.

Derek didn’t actually put his phone down as he waited for a reply, hardly breathing. He knew he was being ridiculous - it was just a text message to a guy he’d only seen a few hours earlier, but his heart was racing and he felt like he was seventeen again. 

The message came in after what seemed like an eternity. Derek wondered if Stiles had stared at it. Maybe written and rewritten a response. Whatever it was, Derek thumbed to the reply eagerly, drinking in the words. **Be even luckier if he hadn’t interrupted us.**


	6. Chapter 6

Derek might have been lingering in the hall to be the first to answer the door when Stiles’ jeep pulled up to the house. He could hear footsteps throughout it, reacting to the noise of the car, but he stood his ground, sure to be the first person Stiles saw before he was bombarded by too much family all at once. What Derek hadn’t expected was Stiles getting out the jeep in a nice button down. The shirt was untucked and he was still wearing his signature converse, but he looked smarter than usual and was holding a bouquet of flowers. “Did you bring me flowers?” he asked as Stiles bounded up the few steps of his porch. “And get a new shirt?” 

Stiles leaned in to kiss Derek lightly and shook his head. “Shirt was Lydia’s idea and the flowers are for your mom, thank you very much. Dad’s idea.” 

“And what was your idea?” Derek whispered as he pulled Stiles in by his hips.

“Making sure that kissing you was the first thing I did,” Stiles replied and Derek managed to get in one more kiss before they were descended upon.

“Ahem,” Cora cleared her throat loudly which was enough to get Stiles away from Derek, smiling a little too brightly at Cora. “Hey Cora,” he said before looking past her. “Mrs. Hale, these are for you,” he said holding out the flowers to Derek’s mother. 

Talia walked forward and took the flowers, dipping her head to breathe in their scent. “Thank you, Stiles - they’re lovely. And, please, call me Talia,” she told him firmly, stepping to hook her arm through his and then drawing him into the house. “Now... let me introduce you to the rest of the family...”

Derek groaned as his mother walked Stiles inside and Stiles didn’t even put up a protest, already chatting away to her like this was the best thing ever. Cora snorted a laugh and elbowed her brother in the side. “He’s either gonna do really well in there, or they’re eat him alive,” she commented.

“Let’s hope for the first,” Derek said, pushing at her so she wouldn’t elbow him again. 

“You can. I hope they eat him alive. That just makes it all the more fun.” She grinned a little too broadly and he pushed at her again. 

“I’ll tell mom about your prom date,” Derek threatened, still holding that over his younger sister’s head.

“Too late, D - you missed your chance. We broke up last weekend,” Cora said, not looking in the least upset about that, which Derek really didn’t get as he deflated a little and cocked his head to the side, sympathetically.

“Aww, really?” Derek asked, sincerely. “What happened.”

Cora stared at her brother, as though he were insane. “D, we went to prom together and to, like, the movies once. It’s not like he was my all and everything or anything. Nothing happened. He was just, well, kinda dull, I guess. Or the things he liked weren’t the things I like. So, we’re not going out again, that’s all.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head, folding her arms across her chest. “I’m not you, Der. I can manage the whole ‘casual dating’ thing without thinking that every new person that turns my head is going to be the love of my life.”

“That’s not…” Derek started to protest, only to be brought to a halt by Cora’s doubtful expression.

“Paige,” she said, holding up a finger. “You bought her a ring, Derek. You were fifteen years old.” Derek looked away, not denying it. He’d never had the chance to give her that ring while she was alive. In the end, he’d tied it it to a single red rose with a length of ribbon and thrown it into her grave at her funeral. “Then there was Kate - and we all know how that ended. Then it’s been like five years since you’ve properly dated and now there’s Stiles….”

“I’ve dated, Cora!” Derek protested. Cora’s expression didn’t change. “I have!”

“Dates or one night stands?” she asked him, making his eyes bug out. “Oh god - I’m _seventeen_ , D! I’m not an idiot, or some kind of naive, sheltered virgin!”

“Too much information, Cora - I did not need to know that,” Derek hissed.

“Tough shit, big brother. Deny it - you’re a total fucking hopeless romantic who wants every new guy or girl in your life to be The One.”

“I…” Derek started, shifting uncomfortably, which Cora just seemed to take meaning that she was right.

“For what it’s worth,” she said, more kindly this time. “I kinda hope you’re right here. And… I hope everything works out. I know I said to be careful with him, but… eventually you’ll tell him. You know mom would make him the offer, if you guys wanted it.”

Derek shook his head. “We’ve been on one date, Cora,” he said, softly. “Yeah, I really like him, but it’s too soon for all of that.”

“Is it? Was it really just one date?” Cora asked, giving him that _look_. “Because you don’t seem that way. He doesn’t seem that way.” 

“It’s too soon for that. That...alters who he is. I can’t think that far ahead.” 

Cora just nodded as if she was the expert on everything and tilted her head towards the living room where they could hear Stiles laughing and the soft murmurs of approval of their family. “They already like him. More than the others, though it’s the first time they’ve met someone properly. You might want to at least realize that far ahead exists and could be very real. Go figure the rest of the family has bought into your sappy romantics.” 

Derek didn’t say anything, just walked into the living room where Stiles was practically holding court, seated in one of the arm chairs by the fireplace, the rest of the family perched on various pieces of furniture around the room, listening to Stiles regale them with some kind of funny story about an incident at the station, which seemed to involve processed cheese for some reason. 

Derek leaned back against the wall, folding his arms and watching Stiles talk - all animated gestures, wide grins and ridiculous facial expressions. Derek could feel the soft smile forming on his face as he watched the other man, and he knew that Cora was absolutely right. It wasn’t hard to imagine this being the rest of his life. Stiles being accepted into the pack, them growing up and growing old surrounded by this family. Kids playing on the rug and running riot around the house. Teaching Stiles about hiking through the preserve, or long midnight runs under the moon. He could see it all too easily.

Stiles caught his eye and must have read something in his face, because he stumbled over his narrative for a moment and blushed deeply before carrying on, though this time with a wider grin as he looked away. The blush brought Derek back to himself a little. Stiles was eighteen. He’d never had an anything before. Derek was getting way ahead of himself here.

As the story finished and Stiles finished answering the follow on questions, Talia took charge of the room again. “Dinner’s ready,” she said nodding towards the kitchen, and thankfully the family started that way. Her eyes were on Derek though, watching him intently as if trying to ask him things without saying the words. Derek did his best to avoid her eyes, focusing more on the way Stiles slipped his arms around his waist from behind, resting his chin on Derek’s shoulder. 

“How’s it going?” he asked, voice low and just near Derek’s ear. 

Derek smiled, turning slightly and looking at Stiles. “Great. Wonderful. They like you a lot.” He was too far ahead of himself. He was thinking of how perfect this could be, Stiles could always be here. 

Stiles’ features turned from pleased to curious. “What’s that face mean? What are you thinking?” 

Derek shook his head. “It’s nothing. Just… I’m glad you’re getting along with my family.”

Stiles chuckled. “How could I not? They’re kinda awesome. Lots of them, but kinda awesome. Though… your Aunt Catherine said something about her… anchor? I’m not… entirely sure what that means.”

Derek blanched, jaw dropping. “Right, I, er… Should really go… Talk to her about that. She says the weirdest things at times. Just - ignore her,” he said. He started to walk off, then spun on his heel and kissed Stiles on the cheek. “Go and sit down - talk to Laura. She’s been dying to meet you properly. Save me a seat, I’ll be right there,” he promised. First he just needed to go and remind his scatty Aunt Catherine that not everyone knew about werewolves, and that Stiles was actually human.

Stiles watched him curiously, holding on to his arm from where Derek had kissed him. “You sure you’re okay?” he asked. Derek’s heart leapt at the way that Stiles looked genuinely concerned. 

“More than okay. Promise.” He kissed Stiles properly then pulled back. “Go on. I’ll be there in a moment.” Stiles gave him a look, watching him closely, but he eventually moved away, heading towards the table and dropping into a seat next to Laura. 

By the time Derek sat down on Stiles’ other side - across from a now awkward looking Aunt Catherine, Stiles was deep in conversation with Laura. Derek reached for the potatoes as his father dished him up some vegetables - a habit the man has had since Derek was five years old and complaining that, as wolves were carnivores, he shouldn’t be be forced to each any kind of plantlife. He’d long since outgrown that phase, but his father had still carried on filling his plate at every meal, before Derek even had a chance to demonstrate that he was quite capable of doing that himself, thank you very much.

Stiles’ attention cut to him at one point, hand finding Derek’s knee under the table, which had Derek’s hand shaking slightly as he put the serving spoon from the potatoes back. He knew Cora caught that because he could hear her muffled giggle, but he chose to ignore it. 

“So it’s true isn’t it? They mayor does most of his business from the golf course,” Stiles asked Laura and Derek was amazed at the way his sister laughed and rolled her eyes. 

“You know I can’t answer that. Just like I know you can’t answer that the Sheriff sneaks burgers when his meddling son isn’t around,” she said giving him a little bit of a look with her eyebrows raised. 

“Don’t tell me he does that. I know he does that, but he continues to call me meddling and not ‘deeply concerned for his health’,” Stiles said with his own eye roll. 

Laura noticed that her brother was watching their conversation and tilted her head a little. “So, _Derek_ , did you know your boyfriend here is trying to weasel gossip out of me about the mayor?” she asked - and the aghast tone would have been far more effective had she not being failing to hide a laugh.

“Pssh,” Stiles said, gesturing off hand. “I’m not weaseling - I already know most of it. I’m just taking the opportunity for a little official confirmation, since I just found out that I’m talking to his aide. Never pass up a golden opportunity, that’s what I always say.”

“Is that what you always say?” Derek asked poking Stiles lightly. “I don’t remember you saying that.” 

“You know what I mean,” Stiles said shaking his head as Laura laughed more. “Always taking things so literally. And if I could come back to the station with actual confirmation, I’d be a hero.” 

“And I’d be out of a job,” Laura supplied with a little laugh. “Rule number one of politics: don’t gossip.” She paused, then added, “Well, unless there’s a damn good reason and you can get something out of it. Then the first rule is ‘don’t get caught’.”

“That’s a really good first rule. I’d be totally behind that rule,” Stiles agreed, enthusiastically.

“Surely, as the son of the town’s Sheriff, you would never even dream of doing something you could get caught for…” Laura teased, sweetly.

“Leave him alone, Laur,” Derek said, rolling his eyes.

“It’s just a question, Derek,” his sister replied, innocently.

“Sure - it’s just a question and I’m beginning to think that the two of you are as bad as each other.”

Stiles shifted closer to Laura. “Wouldn’t dare dream of doing something that would be against the rules,” he said with mock sincerity. “But if I knew I couldn’t get caught…” 

Laura beamed and Derek rolled his eyes. “Just like you.” 

“I don’t know what you mean, little brother,” she said, in that same saccharine tone that Derek knew she always used when she was as guilty as sin and everyone knew it. She knocked her shoulder against Stiles’ and grinned at him. “I think you and I are going to get along very well. And I should tell you all about this time when Derek was five years old and he-”

“Okay!” Derek declared, hurrying to stop her going any further before he could actually have to find out which one of the many embarrassing ‘when Derek was five years old’ stories she was going to launch into to entirely humiliate him in front of his boyfriend. Unfortunately, he was also loud enough to attract the attention of all of the rest of the table as well. He winced a little, and carried on in a lower voice. “We don’t need to go into that now, do we - _Laura_.”

“Oh! Which one!” Cora asked, bouncing in her chair. “Is it the time you dressed him up? Or when he cried at kindergarten-”

“Cora!” Derek could feel his cheeks heating up. “You weren’t even alive.” 

Stiles chuckled and squeezed Derek’s thigh. “It’s fine. I’m sure you were adorable.” 

Derek looked at him with what Cora would describe as heart eyes and shrugged. “I wasn’t - not really.” He got an impish grin in return, though when Stiles spoke, it was to the entire table.

“Are there photos - there must be photos. I kinda feel I have to judge for myself whether or not he was cute as a button...What?” The question was asked as Stiles was faced with a table full of people who were mumbling and suddenly avoiding his eyes. Stiles turned back to Derek with a confused look on his face.

“I’m really not all that photogenic,” Derek said.

Stiles snorted. “Yeah, right. You. Not photogenic. That’s hilarious.”

“I didn’t like having my picture taken,” Derek said, trying again and hating to have to lie to Stiles.

“Well everyone hates school pictures, but there’s like a million pictures of me covered in snowcone and missing teeth…” He trailed off though when no one said anything. “Oh. Well...okay.” 

It was Cora that piped up first, saying, “Well, I, for one, would _love_ to see pictures of Stiles covered in snowcone!”

“Aaaaand really glad I’m not dating your sister,” Stiles said, with a nervous laugh, reaching up to rub the back of his neck.

Derek leaned in a little. “Does that mean I’m not allowed to see them either then?” he asked.

Stiles turned to glance at him, coloring lightly - an adorable shade of pink, in Derek’s opinion. “No - you can...I don’t mind. She’d make sure they got out to the whole school.” He smiled and shrugged. “Dad’ll have them out I’m sure. Anything to scare you off.” 

“That’s right, you’re having dinner with the Sheriff tomorrow aren’t you Derek?” Talia asked, smiling and commandeering the conversation, steering it away from the lack of baby photos of Derek. 

Derek nodded, then belatedly said, “Yes mom, I am.” Dinner was a formal time for the pack - often the alpha wasn’t actually answered with words, unless they were actually required. So much could be said without them, and the use of body language was a mark of respect and deference. One that really needed not to be relied on tonight.

“He is,” Stiles agreed. “But I can tell you know that tomorrow night’s dinner isn’t going to be a patch on this,” he added, waving a green bean in the air in the end of his fork. “My dad’s not much for cooking, and with work and all, he doesn’t have the time, which leaves me to feed us.” He caught Derek’s eye. “You’re lucky you’re not going to be reduced to take out,” he said with an impish grin.

“I’d be fine with take out,” Derek said, trying to sound reassuring. 

“Of course you would. And I’m sure it’ll be a fine dinner. I just want to be sure my son is on his best behavior,” Talia said, smiling in that way that meant she meant business. 

“I know how to behave mom,” Derek said, giving her a little bit of a look. 

“It’s just me and my dad - it’s not really going to be a formal thing,” Stiles told them. “Hard to do formal with just three people,” he added with a chuckle.

"Formal or not," Talia said. "There's a way to be. Derek knows." Derek hated that pack politics were coming into play with his relationship with Stiles, just because of who Stiles' father was. 

"It'll be fine _mom_ ," Derek ground out, giving her a significant look down the table.

"I'm sure it will," Talia said, smiling despite her tone. 

\-----

“Well, that seemed to go well,” Stiles said, leaning against the kitchen counter. He sounded far more relaxed than Derek felt, but of course he was. Stiles hadn’t spent the entire meal fielding off comments from Aunt Catherine who seemed to keep forgetting that Stiles was not only not a werewolf, but that as far as he was concerned, they were fictional creatures. Then there were the embarrassing stories - Derek was sure that his entire family had got together and shared out the tales, plus worked out some kind of a timetable to launch them into conversation, just for maximum embarrassment effect. Derek felt like he’d barely got out of there alive and it was the reason that he had volunteered himself and Stiles for washing up duty.

They were alone in the kitchen and Stiles was grinning ear to ear. “I really like your family,” he said.

“Yeah?” Derek asked, looking up from the dish he’d been drying despite it not needing to be any drier than it was.

“Of course. There’s so many of them and they seem like...I dunno, like they work together,” Stiles said with a shrug.

Derek nodded slowly. “They do.”

“I always wondered what it would have been like, to have a large family. To be surrounded by people all the time.” Stiles looked away and Derek put the plate down on the side and took Stiles around the waist.

“You okay?” he asked, lowering his voice a little and pretending that everyone else wouldn’t be able to hear them anyway.

Stiles shook his head. “It hits at the weirdest times,” he said, leaning into Derek and laying his head on Derek’s shoulder. “It’s not like I ever forget mom died, but sometimes it’s just closer to the surface, I guess.” Derek pulled him in, holding him firmly as he heard his mom start up an involved conversation with everyone at the other side of the house. Bless her for giving them some privacy - this wasn’t the kind of conversation he wanted his family listening into.

“I think that’s normal,” Derek offered, turning his nose into Stiles’ hair and breathing him in. He wanted to make it better though, take away that pain that wasn’t so much physical.

“It is,” Stiles agreed. “It is.” He pulled back enough to see Derek’s face, smiling despite the sadness in his eyes. “She would have liked you.”

“You think?”

“Yeah. Mom was always about...being happy. Doing what made you happy. You would have been all of that to her. Me being with you, how old you are, what you’re studying, all of that.”

Derek snorted. “She would have liked my age? That would have put her at odds with your dad then. I’m sure he wouldn’t have half the problems with me he has if I was some spotting seventeen year old.”

“Okay maybe not that you’re so much older, but I think she would have appreciated that I don’t care,” Stiles corrected. “And no, he wouldn’t, but then I’d be dating Danny or Jackson and he’d have other issues.”

“Oh wow - okay, I just got this mental image of you dating _Jackson_ and I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” Derek deadpanned. He hadn’t made any secret of his contempt for Jackson since he’d actually met the guy.

“Hey according to Jackson, Jackson is everyone’s type,” Stiles said as if that justified everything. “And it’s both laughing and crying. Laughing until you cry. He would hate me more than he does now.”

“Jackson’s a arrogant, egotistical little shit who needs to learn that the world doesn’t revolve around him,” Derek said, not holding back. “His inferiority complex and need to belong is no excuse for his behaviour - especially to you.”

“Jackson is adopted and just wants to be good at something,” Stiles said pulling Derek closer. “And I got over how he treats me the moment I realized I was smarter.” He waited half a breath before kissing Derek softly. “Don’t worry about him. Not dating him. Dating you.”

“If you believe what Jackson has to say, he is good at something. Lots of things,” Derek said, crowding Stiles back into the counter and letting himself be kissed, his heart rate already rising. “Why are we talking about Jackson again?” he asked, already starting to lose himself in Stiles.

Stiles slipped his fingers into the hair at the base of Derek’s neck, pulling him closer still. “Because I figured it would be a sure-fire way to keep me from trying to jump you in your parents’ kitchen. Turns out I was wrong.”

Derek groaned as Stiles kissed him again, knowing that he really needed to stop this. Getting it on in the kitchen in a household full of werewolves was so far from standard pack manners that he would be in for some real shit from his alpha. His mom would understand, but she wouldn’t be acting in that role. “Wanna finish up here and take a walk?” he suggested, pulling himself back to reality.

“Is it a walk upstairs?” Stiles asked, hinting a little too heavily, but Derek managed to pull back and put some actual space between them, grabbing the last of the plates that needed trying and handing one to Stiles.

“No. Outside.”

Stiles gave him a curious look, but nodded. “Sounds good.”

Derek put the final plate away and dropped the cloth onto the table carelessly. “We’ll be back in a while,” he called to the house in general, knowing it would be heard, and then he walked them both out of the door and toward the woods. Stiles didn’t let them get far, pushing Derek up against the nearest tree, his hands pushing at the bottom of Derek’s shirt as he surged into a kiss. 

“God,” Stiles breathed against his lips. “I’ve been so good, all night, I really do like your family, but you, alone - that’s all I’ve been able to think about.”

Derek almost gave in, he wanted to, leaning into the kiss and nodding. “You have been, but,” he motioned towards the house and managed to pull himself away from Stiles as gently as possible. “They can still see us,” he added.

“They’re not looking,” Stiles argued, all but whining as Derek pulled him farther away from the house and into the woods. “I’m not going to be able to see you,” he said. “Or where we are,” he added, as he tripped over a tree root and Derek had to catch him.

“It’s better this way,” Derek told him, helping his boyfriend through the dark until they were far enough from the house that they wouldn’t be overheard. Then it was Derek that had Stiles up against a tree, kissing him for all that he was worth.

If Stiles was going to complain it was lost in the kiss and after a second Stiles was pulling Derek closer arms around his neck in a vice grip that Derek couldn’t leave, not that he’d ever want to. Like before in the car he let his hands travel up the younger man’s sides, ducking under the nice button down he’d worn for Derek.

Derek pressed hard up against Stiles, Feeling the softness of his skin under his hands as Stiles buried a hand in his hair, gripping tight enough to pull a deep moan from Derek.

Stiles seemed to shiver at the noise, but grinned against Derek’s mouth. “Is this why you wanted to go hiking?” he asked, tugging at Derek’s hair again and kissing him hard.

“Oh yeah,” Derek agreed, raking blunted nails down Stiles’ side. “Definitely. Plus - know this great area with this lake and... I’d love to show it to you sometime. Nobody ever goes up there,” he said, punctuating the words with kisses along Stiles’ jaw and down to the collar of his shirt.

Stiles made a noise somewhere in his throat that could have been a whimper. “You might make me outdoorsy after-all,” he said, but the words were all breathy and his fingers were digging into Derek’s shoulder.


	7. Chapter 7

“You need to be on your best behavior. I really like this guy and he’s already kinda terrified of you, so no doing the scary dad routine, or deciding to show off your gun collection!” Derek chuckled to himself as he walked up the path to the Stilinski house, a fresh, homemade pie in one hand. He knew that the conversation going on inside wasn’t the kind of thing that they would expect to be overheard, but it made him feel kinda warm that Stiles was coming to their defence.

“I’m making no promises, Stiles. I don’t know this guy and he’s dating my only son. You can’t deny me my God given right as a father to scare the bejesus out of him,” Sheriff Stilinski’s tone was serious, but Derek could sense a touch of humor to it that clearly Stiles missed, if the way his breathing and heart-rate increased. Derek could almost imagine him flailing, and decided to put him out of his misery by knocking at the front door.

There was a sound that might have been Stiles crashing into something, then a stern noise from him. “Seriously Dad. I like him,” he said once more before flinging the door open and plastering on a giant grin. “Hey! Right on time. Early maybe.” Stiles looked impressed. “Come on in. Dad, you remember Derek right?” 

“Right.” The Sheriff stood behind his son, arms folded across his chest and with a stern look on his face. Derek took a breath and held out the box containing pie.

“I brought this,” he said, determinedly speaking to the father, rather than the son. He would admit it - he was totally attempting to bribe his boyfriend’s father with pie. So, he wasn’t going to give the thing to Stiles, since apparently he wouldn’t let his father have nice things. “It’s pecan. My mom made it this afternoon - she asked me to pass on best wishes, by the way. Oh, and there’s vanilla ice cream in there too, so you may want to put that in the freezer before it melts,” he said, with what was hopefully a winning smile and a tone of innocence that belied the fact that he was well aware that Stiles may be about to throw a fit.

It seemed to be enough to at least get the Sheriff to uncross his arms, moving closer to the offered pie, ignoring his son’s look. “You can tell her that we send the best back,” he said, giving Stiles a look before Stiles could complain and taking the pie and ice cream towards the kitchen.

“While that’s cheating and I don’t fully approve, well done. He probably needed to be bribed to stop scowling,” Stiles told Derek once they were alone and leaning in to kiss Derek.

Derek shrugged and took off his jacket. “Yes, it’s cheating. No, I’m not at all sorry. I want your dad to like me and I’m pretty sure that ‘pie’ is all I’ve got going for me right about now.”

“Pie and him finding out what a great guy you are and how you’re perfect for me,” Stiles corrected, giving Derek another kiss, before pushing him toward the living room.

“I’m perfect for you?” Derek asked, letting himself be pushed, but reaching for Stiles’ hand as he did so. “I didn’t know that.”

“Yeah, well, I only just decided,” Stiles joked, giving Derek’s hand a squeeze. “Now - I have to go put the finishing touches to dinner. You gonna be okay with a one on one with my dad, or do I have to invent some kind of excuse about needing help?”

Derek was sorely tempted to cave and beg to help out, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to avoid the Sheriff forever, and at least right now he had pie on his side. “I’ll be fine,” he promised his boyfriend.

“Of course he’ll be fine Stiles. Stop worrying,” the Sheriff said as he came out of the kitchen, waving Derek towards the living room. “Come on son. Sit down and tell me about yourself, since I don’t know much of anything beyond what kind of car you drive.”

Derek took a seat opposite the Sheriff and tried not to look like he was on trial. He concentrated on the fact that he had grown up with the most respected alpha on the west coast as his mother - he’d dealt with intimidating people all his life. He was just used to intimidating people who also had a reason to love him.

“Well, you know my family already, sir. My mom and dad have always spoken very highly of you. They say that you’re the best Sheriff this town has ever had.”

“The compliments are nice, Derek, but buttering me up with nice words and dessert is only going to get you so far. Are you staying in town once summer’s over?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Derek said, honestly. “I’m considering grad school, but I wanted to keep my options open. I’m assuming that Stiles is going off to college anyhow, but we’ve not really had that conversation.”

Sheriff Stilinski arched a brow, but nodded. “That’s reasonable. I don’t want my son encouraged to build his life round a guy that he’s only just met.”

“I would never do that, sir. It’s a subject that I hope we’ll have reason to talk about - but, in the future. I don’t want to hold him back, and I don’t want him limiting his future because he has some idea in his head about what I want.”

“And what would that be?” 

Derek had to bite his tongue to keep from explaining the image he’d had when Stiles was in his living room, the family, the world together, the two of them. That was not what the Sheriff wanted to hear and it would be hard enough to explain how Derek had gotten there after only a few dates. “I like your son,” he said finally. “An awful lot. I want to keep seeing him and see where it goes, but there’s no need to rush anything.”

“Well, then you don’t know my son very well,” the sheriff said and Derek counted the humor in the man’s tone as a win. “Stiles isn’t known for his patience. He kinda has a habit of rushing in without stopping to think.”

“Do you think he’s done that here?” Derek asked, trying to force the image of Stiles rushing to kiss him out in the woods the night before out of his mind.

“I’m not trying to tell either of you that you can’t do this,” the sheriff said, kindly. “But he’ll rush things if you let him.”

Derek had to swallow the laugh. If only the Sheriff knew. Derek was already miles ahead of where Stiles was and he didn’t care in the slightest if Stiles rushed to catch up. “I’m not interested in hurting him if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I’ll be honest with you, Derek. I worry that Stiles will throw himself into this, heart and soul, and it’ll be too much, too soon for you. You’ll realize he’s just a kid and you’ll be running scared.”

“Sir I...” Derek started, then looked back towards the kitchen. He could hear that Stiles had stopped puttering around the room and was probably standing close enough to hear their conversation. That gave him enough pause to take a different approach than repeating what he’d just said. “He’s not just a kid though is he? He’s not like his friends. Stiles sees things they don’t, thinks more like the people I’ve met in college than in high school. You don’t have to worry about that.” He heard Stiles’ breath catch from his hiding place and forced himself not to smile. “He wouldn’t be the only one throwing himself into this, sir.”

“That supposed to inspire me with confidence?”

“No sir,” Derek confirmed. “It’s meant to be honest. Hopefully the rest will come with time.”

The Sheriff stared at Derek hard, really staring at him until Stiles saved them. “Dinner’s ready! What...did I miss?” he asked, not entirely the best liar, but trying hard.

“Nothing important,” Derek told him, rising smoothly to his feet. He resisted the urge to cross to Stiles and kiss him, knowing it was a possessive need of his inner wolf, which he had no intention of giving into, especially in front of Stiles’ father.

“You know I don’t believe you,” Stiles whispered, but reached for Derek, pulling him closer, squeezing his hand. Derek just smiled a little and let Stiles lead him towards the dinner table.

Dinner passed as smoothly as it could, considering that Derek was of the opinion that being questioned by the Gestapo would probably have been a less stressful experience. That wasn’t to say that the Sheriff hadn’t been perfectly pleasant - it was clear that the man was on his best behaviour, under the watchful eye of his son. Derek had learned a lot though - not least that the man really in charge out of the three of them was Stiles. He may have still been a few weeks off his high school graduation, but he ruled with an iron fist. If he had been a wolf, there would have been no way that he wouldn’t have been considered alpha material. It was an interesting thought considering Derek himself definitely was not - he was a clear beta. Maybe he was just drawn to people like that. It aligned with his thoughts about Stiles being like Laura, who was in line and being groomed to be the next alpha in the family. It made Derek wonder how that would fall in place in his family if Stiles took the bite.

Pie and ice cream seemed to soothe the Sheriff though, his questions replaced with more jokes and despite Stiles’ desire to keep his father healthy, he looked pleased that the man was enjoying himself.

Derek had just started to relax when the phone rang. The sheriff picked it up and quickly headed into the next room to take it. When he came back, he looked pale. “I have to head out,” he explained, mostly looking at Stiles. “There’s been a call - someone found a car out at Lovers’ Lane. Nobody’s in it, but… There was a whole lot of blood and signs of a fight. They’re starting a search.”

Derek caught the possibilities immediately. ‘Lovers Lane’ wasn’t really a road. It was a track bordering the far side of the preserve, opening into a small glade. Kids would go there to make out. It was surrounded by woodland. If a couple had been attacked there was always the possibility that they had been dragged off into the woods.

“Dad, I’ve heard that urban legend you don't have to...” Stiles trailed off as his father’s expression went stern and he was clearly telling the truth. “Oh...oh yeah go. I guess...” Stiles got up as if he could help but the Sheriff waved him away. 

“Just stay here. Okay? Derek, sorry to run out.”

“I understand sir,” Derek said, nodding once. “And - if you need help with the search, my family and I know those lands pretty well,” he offered. Very well, in fact. Not mentioning the fact that they would be able to track any trail of blood.

“If we need you, I’ll call - I appreciate the offer,” the Sheriff said, already pulling on his jacket and strapping on his gun. Derek wondered where he’d kept it that it was on hand so quickly. “Don’t wait up, Stiles. And - be good.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “I'm always good. You be safe. I’ll see you when you get home,” he said completely ignoring the comment about not waiting up and the look on the Sheriff’s face said that was normal. The Sheriff hesitated for a second then squeezed his son’s shoulder before leaving with a wave. Derek listened to the cruiser pull out of the drive, trying not to stare at Stiles who looked instantly younger, leaning against the door to see the car leave through the window.

“You okay?” He finally asked, reaching for Stiles.

Stiles turned, blinking for a moment like he didn’t expect Derek to be there. “Yeah, yeah fine. Just...hope it’s no one I know. And that they’re okay.”

Derek looked at Stiles for a moment, then made a decision. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he shot a text off to Laura, asking her to arrange for one of the pack to keep a subtle eye on the hunt, especially the Sheriff. “I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Derek said, slipping his phone away again.

“What was that?” Stiles asked, catching on immediately. Derek considered giving him an excuse, but it felt wrong withholding anything more than he actually had to from his boyfriend.

“My sister - my family’s all home and I asked her if she’d arrange for someone to keep a watch.”

“On a police investigation?” Stiles asked, doubtfully. Derek realised then that, from the angle of an outsider without all of the facts, it did look like a bad move. He was saved from having to explain any further though by a desperate banging on the front door.

Stiles was still frowning at Derek, but he turned towards the door, opening it up just at Scott called out his name. For a long moment Stiles stared at Scott and Scott stared at him as if neither was what the other was expecting.

“Why are you here?”

“Why are you dressed up?” Scott asked, holding onto the door frame. Derek thought that the question seemed random, considering that Scott looked like he was actually having to hold himself up. Stiles didn’t miss that either.

“Because it's dinner with Dad and Derek. Is that blood?”

“Allison and I were out..” Scott started, but his voice sounded thready.

“And she bit you? Or scratched you or...what is...”

Derek got his first good look at Scott. His shirt was torn to ribbons, in a way that looked eerily familiar. Only one sleeve was still intact, the rest hanging from his torso in strips that fluttered in the night breeze. Scott was clutching at his side, favoring his right leg and Derek could smell the pain and blood and fear coming off the teenager in waves.

“Maybe we should get him inside,” Derek suggested. 

Stiles jumped, nodding and reaching for Scott. 

“I don't know what it was, Stiles. It was something. And Allison got away, but...” He pulled his hand away from his side and the blood made Stiles make a face and gag a little. Derek noticed immediately and stepped between the two friends.

“Okay - I got this,” he said, his tone steady. “Stiles, why don’t you go and get some water and a first aid kit if you have one.”

“We’ve got one. A good one,” Stiles replied, rushing out of the room to get it.

Scott blinked at Derek. “I ruined your date,” he said as if he’d just realized that. 

“I wouldn’t call it a ‘date’, more sacrificing myself on the altar of parental approval,” Derek quipped. “The Sheriff already left though. A call out to a car parked up by the preserve. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?” he asked.

Scott looked pained and not just because of the gaping wound on his side. “Um. That might have been me.” That was what Derek thought. 

Stiles bounded back into the room holding the kit, but trying hard to not look at Scott's side. “That’s bad. Should we call your mom?” he asked. 

“No! No. We are not calling her. She’ll freak out. And she'll want to know where I was and...” 

“Where’s Allison?” Derek asked, cutting through the rest as he reached for the first aid kit. He could deal with first aid. Werewolves might heal far more quickly than humans, but their lifestyles, between time spent out in the woods, to the rough and tumble between pack members who sometimes got carried away, meant they often got hurt and his mom had a thing for not getting blood on the carpets. Patching people up became second nature. Plus, Stiles was looking a little green, just at the idea of an injury.

Scott looked green himself. “I don't know. I told her to run. And she did. But I called her and she’s not answering and I don't know where she is.”

“Stiles - go call Allison. Make sure she’s okay,” Derek said, as he pulled back the remnants of Scott’s shirt. The bite mark on his torso was unmistakable and he swore under his breath.

“What - what is it?” Stiles asked, panic edging both his tone and his scent.

“I got this Stiles - go call Allison,” Derek said, steadily. Thankfully, Stiles actually did as he was told and left the room, though Derek knew he wouldn’t go far.

Getting Stiles out of the way was one thing, but Scott was staring down at his own stomach like he might throw up out of fear. “Something _bit_ me Derek,” he said, shocked, confused, and maybe even a little watery like he might cry. 

“I know,” Derek said, cleaning up the worst of the mess around Scott’s skin. The sad part was, if Scott survived? The first aid wouldn’t matter. It would be healed by morning. Or that was Derek’s understanding at least. He thought of Paige though, the way it had made her skin go pale, her blood ooze an unnatural color, and he had to swallow his own fear. “You’re gonna be fine.” 

“Fine?” Scott asked, sounding vaguely hysterical. “How do you even know that, dude? You’re like, a student. You know about history and books. Not - we were in the car. It was like one of those stupid fucking urban legend things, only she wouldn’t stay there. There was this noise and I said that I’d go see what it was, but she wouldn’t just stay in the car. It was so dark and then there was this growling and this - I don’t even know what and I told her to run and she didn’t want to leave me, but I pushed her and she said she’d come back and…”

“I just know okay? The bleeding’s stopping. You’re gonna be alright.” He was lying, he knew it, he could hear his heart rate jump with it, but he couldn’t help it. Scott needed to hear it. 

“Why the _hell_ did you go investigate the noise?” Stiles demanded from where he’d returned and Derek hadn’t even realized. “Why? Are you determined to die first in a horror film?” 

“Did you get in touch with Allison?” Derek asked because Scott had that look in his eyes like he might cry again and Derek wasn’t sure he or Stiles were equipped to handle that. 

“Yeah she’s fine. She’s with her dad. She was looking for you. I told her you were here and safe.” 

“You didn’t tell her I got hurt did you!?” Scott’s eyes went as wide a saucers and Derek instantly felt sorry for him. He was going to be a terrible werewolf. 

“No, I didn’t tell her. I figured the last thing _I_ needed was you and her crying over each other about how brave you are when you’re really just stupid.” 

Derek taped a pad over Scott’s wound and sat back, looking between the two teenagers. He stood, making a decision. He couldn’t just ignore this. He didn’t know what had happened with the attack. One thing he did know though was that it hadn’t been any of his pack and Beacon Hills was their territory. Something had gone very wrong here. Normally, he would have quietly reported it to his family and it would have been investigated and dealt with. However, Scott had been bitten. That couldn’t just be ignored. “I need to call my mom,” he said, seriously.

“What? Why?”

“No!”

Stiles and Scott spoke at the same time. His boyfriend, typically, being the one with the questions. Derek was already dialling. “There are some things we need to talk about.”


	8. Chapter 8

Waiting in the living room with Stiles and an injured Scott, both of whom knew that he had just called his _mother_ , though not why, was possibly the longest half hour of Derek’s life. ‘Uncomfortable’ didn’t being to cover it. Scott was practically whimpering as he lay on the couch, clutching his side as though he’d received some kind of fatal wound. Stiles, on the other hand, was sitting as far away from Derek as he could without physically leaving the room and glaring at him with a look of betrayal. Derek knew that the only reason he hadn’t actually walked out was that he wasn’t willing to leave Scott.

Derek was struggling to come up with what to say, how he could make this better and keep Stiles from hating him the way he seemed to. Just as Derek came up with something, weak, but something to break the silence, someone knocked on the door. Derek bit his tongue, getting up but Stiles waved him away. “It’s my house.” He left the room, returning a few minutes later with Talia.

She walked into the room as though she expected all eyes to turn to her, which, to be fair, they did. Talia, however, only had eyes for Scott.

“Oh, you poor boy,” she said, going straight to his side.

Scott whimpered, but he did seem to soothe with Talia there. Derek watched his mother rest her hand on the younger man’s forehead, taking his pain, so he quieted. “What happened?”

“Scott and his girlfriend were out on the end of the preserve. They were attacked by... an unknown assailant. Scott’s been bitten,” Derek explained, his tone saying far more than his words ever would to his mother. They shared a look, which didn’t go unnoticed by Stiles.

“Okay, you two - what’s going on? Because, that - I saw that... That look,” he proclaimed, gesticulating wildly between the two Hales. “You know something and you’re not telling us and if you know what did this you need to tell _me_ , because my best friend is hurt there and if you know then I can call my dad and he can sort this out!”

Talia fixed a firm look on Stiles, who abruptly stopped babbling. “I don’t know who did this to Scott, Stiles,” she told him, tone firm and even.

Stiles blinked, his jaw dropping. “Okay - you just said ‘who’ there,” he pointed out, slowly, as if he were expecting to be told he’d heard that wrong.

Derek flinched slightly, but Talia fixed her gaze on him. “I did. Did you think it was a ‘what”?” she asked him calmly and Derek’s mouth fell open. “I know my son hasn’t told you anything yet, but I’m curious what you’re thinking.”

Stiles stared at Derek. “You ‘haven’t told me anything yet’?” he questioned, immediately latching onto that. “What is there that you needed to tell me? That involves my _best friend_ being hurt and my dad out there trying to run down whatever did it. What haven’t you told me that puts people I love in danger?”

“Stiles,” Talia said, her voice still calm and steady. “This isn’t Derek’s fault,” she tried, only to have Stiles round on her instead.

“Isn’t it? You’re ‘curious’ about me? You ‘want to know what I’m thinking’? Right now, I’m thinking that you two know damn well what’s gone on tonight and instead of helping sort this out, you’re playing games. That stops. Right now.”

Talia looked at her son pointedly, silently asking if he was ready to tell his secret. Derek swallowed and nodded. “It’s not that we know exactly what’s going on, we just know part of it. What bit him wasn’t animal. Not really at least.”

Stiles glared at Derek, obviously trying to put that together in his head. “If it’s not animal, then what the hell? Some sort of werewolf? Big foot?” Stiles’ voice was dripping with sarcasm, but the accusation still made Derek noticeably freeze.

“Well...”

Stiles stared at them, his jaw dropping and his eyes widening. “You’re joking. You have got to be joking. If you think I’m gonna buy...”

“His bite will be healed by morning,” Derek said, his voice quiet. He looked at Scott, not able to meet Stiles’ eyes, and aware that all three of them had basically been talking around the person who was truly affected for the past few minutes. “It’ll heal,” he told Scott. “Like it was never there.” Derek just hoped he was telling the truth, that Scott wouldn’t go the same way as Paige had.

“This can’t be...” Stiles started then turned away, walking out of the room completely.

Scott watched Stiles, looking like he might get up and follow, but Talia’s hand on his arm kept him in place. “Like it was never there?” he finally asked her, eyes going between her and Derek and his voice was the only reason Derek didn’t follow after Stiles immediately.

“Yes,” Talia said, voice firm, but comforting at the same time. It was a familiar tone to Derek, one she’d used on her children often. She brushed part of Scott’s curls out of his eyes. “And what comes next is going to be jarring, but Derek and I will be there with you the entire way.”

“What comes next?” Scott asked, with some trepidation.

Taiia took a deep breath then smiled at Scott. “You’ll change. To be like us. It’s painful, developing new senses, learning to control yourself under the full moon, but we’ll be there with you, giving you all the support you need.”

Scott looked confused. “Moon? Change? What are you saying?”

She smiled softly, touching his cheek again. “Werewolves love. That’s what we are. That’s what you are.”

“Werewolves?” Scott asked, with a disbelieving laugh. “Seriously?” He looked from mother to son, as if he were waiting for them to let him in on the joke. Derek knew, however, that there was no humour in their expressions. “Oh wow - you’re not joking, are you? Which means you’re actually crazy, or...”

“We’re not crazy,” Derek said, cutting Scott off, because he wanted to deal with this so he could go after Stiles. Every moment felt like another nail in the coffin of his burgeoning relationship.

Talia flashed her son a look, sensing his impatience. “We’re not son. I’m sorry,” she said to Scott instead, voice stern so as not to be doubted, but understanding. “I think it’s best you come stay with us for a day or two. Just until you’re a little more adjusted.”

“But I’ve got school. And lacrosse. And my mom. I don’t want my mom to know. I can’t tell her I’m some sort of...” Scott trailed off, panic in his eyes.

“You’re not any sort of anything,” Talia said, firmly. “And when you’re ready to tell your mom, then I’m gonna be right there with you. I can explain things to her, like I’m going to help you. Now, how about Derek goes to talk to Stiles and see if we can come up with some arrangement where your mom doesn’t have to worry, but that gives you the space to figure things out for yourself,” she suggested.

“He can say he’s staying here. And make something up about school. I can cover for him,” Stiles said from the doorway of the living room. Derek got up at the sight of him, but Stiles waved him away. “I’m doing this for Scott. He’s my best friend, practically my brother. If he’s in trouble, I’ll help him. No matter what.”

That clearly sounded like Stiles wasn’t doing it for Derek, not that he’d have a reason to, but Derek found himself nodding and sitting back down again.

“Of course you are Stiles,” Talia. “I knew we could count on you.”

Stiles shook his head. “Scott can count on me,” he corrected. Then he turned and walked out of the room again.

Derek didn’t even pause. He didn’t look to his mother, his alpha, for permission the way he normally would. He simply ran after Stiles. He caught the younger guy on the back porch. “Stiles, wait,” he said, reaching out for him, but pausing just before he actually grabbed his arm.

Stiles turned, glaring at Derek for a moment. “You weren’t going to tell me were you?” he moved out of Derek’s reach.

“It’s not the kind of thing you just... tell someone,” Derek said, trying to ignore the feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach.

“No, because it’s not a real sort of thing is it?” Stiles ran his hands through his hair, leaving them twisted in it at the top of his head. “Should I have known something? You were...was it a lie? We...” Stiles made a face, running his hand over his face. “I’m torn between wondering if I should be upset that you didn’t tell me or accuse you of being crazy.”

Derek thought back to just after he’d first met Stiles, when Cora had warned him Stiles would figure it out, how he’d thought that would be cool. This was very definitely not cool. “Nothing’s been a lie. I’m not crazy. I...was hoping that one day I’d get to tell you.”

“Now I’m worried I’m crazy,” Stiles said take a step or two away from Derek. “Because _I_ believe you. Because for some reason it kind of makes sense.” He sighed and looked over at Derek. “You could have told me.”

Hope curled up through the dread and Derek took half a step forward. “You’re not crazy,” he promised Stiles. “Can I ask...why does it make sense?”

Stiles sighed and looked around. “I dunno. Your family is a little odd, when I met them. They’re physical and there’s a bunch of them and they all band together which just feels different than other families.” He chewed at his lip and shrugged. “You’re different. Not in a bad way. Just different. I don’t know.”

“We are different,” Derek confirmed. “My family is also my pack. My mother is our alpha - that’s… like the head of the household, but for our entire family. The Hale pack has lived in Beacon Hills since it was founded - the whole area is considered to be Hale territory. Not that we own it, but that it’s pack land. No other werewolves are meant to come into Hale territory without my mother’s permission. Definitely no alphas.”

“Then why are you sounding confused?” Stiles asked, picking up on the way Derek’s tone and expression betrayed his thoughts.

“Because an alpha bit Scott and I know that it wasn’t my mother - she would never bite someone without their express permission. She’s always been really firm on that.”

Stiles obviously had a thought, it was written on his face, and then he shook his head, the thought going away. “Then who did it? What other alphas are there? Where?” 

“There are no other alphas here, Stiles,” Derek told him. “My father holds an honorary alpha role, as my mom’s mate, but he couldn’t give anyone the bite.”

“You say that like it’s some… thing,” Stiles said, and this time it was his turn to sound confused.

“It is - only the bite of an alpha can turn a human into a werewolf. So - okay, I’m a beta. If I bit someone - which I wouldn’t, but if I did - then they’d just get a nasty bite.”

“So, how do you guys know Scott got bitten by an alpha?

“We can smell it - Scott’s scent’s changing. He’s smelling of wolf.”

“Okay - that’s super creepy, and also kinda cool because - you can smell things? I mean like, not ‘hey chilli corn dog!’ smell, but like-”

“If you say ‘like a dog’...” Derek warned, though he was smiling a little. At least Stiles wasn’t entirely freaking out, dumping his ass and calling his dad.

“I was going to say me, or something, whatever,” Stiles flushed and shook his head. “So we have an alpha that we don’t know who bit my best friend and he’s turning into a wolf. What do we do now?” 

“I think...I don’t know.” Derek looked towards the house, as if silently asking his mother what to do. 

“You don’t know? Does she know? Do you...oh wow.” Stiles shook his head then turned headed for the house. “I guess we ask her then.” 

“Stiles!” Derek exclaimed, grasping for him. “She’s - not right now,” he said, knowing he was begging.

Stiles pulled his arm away. “Why not ‘right now’?” he demanded to know. “My friend, my _best friend_ , is in there, hurt. Bitten by a _werewolf_ , which, until like an hour ago we didn’t even know existed. I find out that my boyfriend has been lying to me and the person with the answers - and, by the way, the _only_ person, apparently, in this entire area who could possibly have done this is in there, alone, with Scott. So, either your mom _did this_ , which is pretty fucking bad, or she didn’t, which means that your quote-unquote territory? Which, by the way, sounds like a big ass deal, has been violated by someone who doesn’t play by the same rules as you guys. Either way - I want answer and I want them fucking now and if your mom is who can give them to me, then that’s what she’s going to do!”

“It’s okay, Stiles.” Talia’s voice was quiet and calm and Derek knew she must have heard Stiles’ rant from inside and come to break it up. She was standing in the doorway, the picture of composure, though Derek knew her well enough to be able to identify the ‘alpha mask’. She was faking. She was just as concerned as Stiles about what was happening. “I will answer all of your questions. Once Scott has been taken care or. Give me twenty four hours.”

“Twenty four hours for what?” Stiles demanded. “I’m not sure I want to wait. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to wait.” 

“Twenty four hours for me to focus my attentions on Scott. He’s the one that needs me right now, Stiles. Which means you’re going to have to wait.”

Stiles ground his teeth while he stared at her, obviously not amused but after a moment he nodded. “Fine. Then answers right? I need answers.” 

“Twenty four hours, and you can ask questions,” Talia said, turning it round in a way that Derek didn’t think had a hope in hell of sticking. He cringed. It had all been going so well yesterday. His mom and his boyfriend had seemed to get along famously. Today, they were almost at each other’s throats.

Stiles was still grinding his teeth. “What are you going to do to him?” He asked instead, not agreeing to her terms. 

“Help him,” Talia said, simply.

“How?” Stiles insisted. “You realize ‘help him’ isn’t an answer? And could be ‘kill him’ in disguise right?” 

“If you say so, though it’s not,” Talia answered.

“That’s not what we do,” Derek said, reaching for Stiles’ hand.

Stiles pulled his hand away. “How would I know that?” He shook his head. “I’m coming with you. To help him.” 

“And when your father gets home?” Talia asks. “If you’re not here - what will he do?”

“Dad will be out all night,” Stiles countered.

“And if he’s not? Stiles - we need your help here. Help us, so we can help your friend. We need you here. You said you would cover for Scott. If his mom calls, we need you to be able to talk to her. We need for your dad not to wonder where you are when he comes home. Please, Stiles,” Talia asked, asking for help clearly beneath her, but asking for it anyway.

Stiles frowned glaring at Talia, but he didn’t completely budge. He looked at Derek, but Derek couldn’t help him. He knew his mother was right. They needed Stiles to stay where he was. “Fine,” he said eventually, but not obviously happy about it. 

“Thank you,” Derek said, letting out a sigh of relief. “I can - do you want me to stay?” he asked, but before Stiles could reply, Talia shook her head.

“No, Derek - I need you with me tonight. Scott knows you and that’s important. Stiles will have to wait.”

Stiles nodded. “I’d rather you go anyway,” he said waving towards the door crossing his arms over his chest. Derek felt like the ground had fallen out from under him, but he managed to take a few steps towards the door and back to his mother. 

“I’ll keep you posted,” Derek told Stiles who just shrugged. 

“Whatever. I’m gonna talk to Scott before you take him away,” Stiles said, then pushed past both of them. 

“Let him go, Derek,” Talia said, as Derek rose to go after him. “Let him talk to his friend.” Derek ached to follow after Stiles, but he let his mother guide him back and focused on something instead of Stiles’ conversation with Scott. 

“Who did this?” he asked her.

“Honestly? I have no idea. I had no warning of any alphas intending to come onto our land - not that any who would do so would be welcome,” Talia said, her lip curling in disgust at the actions of someone who would attack a pair of innocent teenagers on a night out. “I will be finding out though. You can help by talking to Scott’s girlfriend.”

“Allison.”

“Right - Allison. Find out what she knows, what she saw. Also - ask around about her background. We need to make sure this was a random attack and they weren’t targeted.”

Derek hesitated, knowing there was one fact he already knew about Allison’s background, though he wasn’t entirely sure it would be relevant. He knew better than to withhold any information from his alpha though. “Allison… Is Kate’s niece,” he said, already half cringing. He never brought Kate up to his mother anymore. 

His mother’s shoulders went tight as she looked at her son. “Is she?” Talia asked, somehow keeping her voice in check, but giving away that that meant more than Derek would have liked it to. “That clears up some about her background then. It still means you have some questions to ask about what she saw.” 

Derek frowned. “What does that mean about her background?” 

Talia shook her head and patted his shoulder. “Nothing to worry about just yet. Let’s deal with Scott first.” 

“Okay,” Derek said, slowly, his mind racing about what that meant. It had been obvious at the time that his mom had been furious when she found out that he’d been seeing Kate, but he had always figured that had simply been because she was so much older than him. Now, he wasn’t so sure. What would Kate’s age have to do with explaining anything about Allison? It took everything he had simply to put his trust in his alpha and know that if there was anything he needed to know, she would tell him.


	9. Chapter 9

Derek looked at his phone again, for the millionth time, but nothing yet. He’d messaged Stiles regularly since they’d gotten back to the Hale house, giving him updates on how Scott was doing, which so far wasn’t bad. Surprisingly well really, which was kind of exciting for him. Scott was adjusting well at the moment and taking in the information Talia was giving him about finding an anchor. 

Derek hadn’t heard from Stiles though and that was starting to make him nervous about what that meant for them. It just added to what he felt about Kate and her niece and what that meant for their family. He didn’t like not knowing what was going on. He trusted it when it came from his alpha, had grown up knowing that was the way it would always been, but everyone knew that Derek became unsettled and on edge when he didn’t understand. The fact that apparently his boyfriend also wasn’t talking to him right now only added to the layers of stress. But, he’d promised himself he wouldn’t crowd Stiles, who was going through his own reordering of the world right now. He would be there, he would maintain an open line of communication, but he wasn’t going to be that pushy other half who wouldn’t give him space.

Instead, he phoned Allison. That was a first, and he’d had to jump through a few hoops to get her number without directly asking and worrying Scott, but Cora had known someone who knew someone and suddenly he was dialling.

“Hello?” The soft female voice answered with a question - unsurprising given the unfamiliar number that had probably cropped up on her call screen.

“Hi, this is Derek Hale. I… heard that there were some problems last night. I wanted to check that you were okay.”

There was silence on the other end and Derek could hear Allison's breath hitch. “Hang on a second,” she said after a moment. He could hear hear shuffling, then the distinct sound of a door closing before she she spoke again, voice so soft that he might have had trouble hearing her if he wasn't a werewolf. “How do you know about last night?”

“Stiles told me,” Derek said. It was only half a lie, really.

“Oh,” Allison said, then took a deep breath. “Is he with Scott? Did he say Scott was okay? I got a text, but I couldn’t find him when we went back to the car and... Do you know if Scott’s okay?”

“Scott’s okay, and the sheriff is looking onto everything. God, Allison, what happened?” Derek asked, putting everything he had into sounding like he had no idea what was going on.

Derek heard her give an audible sigh of relief, though it was hard to tell if it was over Scott or Derek’s mock innocence. The timing of it just seemed off. ”I don’t even know. It happened so fast. One minute we were fine, then the next thing I know there’s noises in the woods, howls, and then someone screamed and Scott, he got out to look.” She let go a shaking breath then started again. “I begged him not to, but he went anyway and I tried to follow, but it looked like something leapt at him, I have no idea what and he to run and I did, but I feel awful about it. I never should have left him in the woods alone. I’m so glad he’s okay.”

“Howls?” Derek asked her, keeping up his act as he tried to get information out of her without sounding suspicious. “Like... animals, or like people? Sorry, that sounded like a better question in my head.”

“Like animals. I don’t think I’ve heard a person howl. The screaming though, that was a person.” Allison sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know what happened. I wish I did. And then he wasn’t there when my father and I got back to the clearing and I didn’t know what to do.”

“Was the screaming Scott?” Derek asked, wondering why Allison had gone and got her father. Surely calling the police would have been a more sensible approach. Yet the girl had called her father and they had both gone back.

“No, Scott went after the screaming,” Allison said. “I didn’t hear Scott...why would he be screaming? Did he get hurt?”

 _Shit._ “Scott’s fine, just shaken up a bit, I think. Stiles didn’t mention anything about there being another person in the woods. His dad was called out and there was a search and everything, though I guess it’s not like Stiles would be told all that much about a police investigation, right?”

“Well, no, but it’s Stiles. No one tells him anything, but he finds out everything. If Scott’s involved...” Allison trailed off as if lost in her own thoughts. After a moment she spoke again. “Derek I have to...I should go. My dad’s calling me. I’m sorry.”

“Allison, wait!” Derek called, knowing he’d caused her to bolt. This might be his only chance to actually get information out of her. “I - did you and your dad find anything? My home’s not far from there. If there’s something in the woods... My little cousins play out there.” It felt like a low blow, appealing to her softer side, but they had nothing to go on here, and it wasn’t entirely a lie. There was an alpha out there and that was a threat to his pack.

Allison didn’t hang up right away which Derek took as a good sign, and he could tell from her breathing she was hesitating before finally answering. “No. Nothing. The police didn’t either. I was out there most of the night while they searched,” she said. “They didn’t even find Scott. I guess... there’s some sort of animal or something. Don’t let them go out after dark. But I really need to go Derek. I’m sorry.”

It wasn’t as much as he would have liked, but Derek figured it was a start at least. He considered texting Stiles, trying not to be disappointed that a message hadn’t come in while he was on the phone, but he managed to talk himself out of it. He pocketed his phone instead, getting up and heading downstairs to where his mother and Scott were in the kitchen.

Derek sat down at the table and patiently waited for his mother to finish her explanation. Only then did he say anything - deciding that there was no need to keep any of this from Scott. “I talked to Allison.”

“Allison? Is she okay?” Scott asked, sitting up straighter.

Derek smiled. “She’s fine - worried about you, but I said you weren’t hurt. Which is technically true. There’s just one thing... Do you know her dad?”

Scott shrugged. “As much as any boyfriend knows his girlfriend’s dad? We don’t like hang out or anything, but he’s always been pretty reasonable. He’s intense and a little over-protective, but that’s a dad thing right?”

Derek looked at his mother whose features had gone stern. “I don’t think my dad’s all that over-protective.”

“I bet he is with your sisters,” Scott pointed out, which Derek had to admit might be the case. Though it was hard to be protective of Laura because she was fine on her own and alpha material.

“What else do you know about him?” Talia interjected. “Hobbies? Interests?”

Scott made a face then shrugged. “He sells antiques? Mostly weapons actually. Old guns and swords and stuff. He taught Allison how to shoot a bow and arrow.” He looked between Derek and Talia. “What’s this all about?” Derek didn’t have an answer for that question, but Talia did.

“Our family has held these pack lands for generations,” she explained. “Part of the alpha’s job is to monitor and record threats and potential threats.”

“I still don’t get what this has to do with Allison,” Scott interrupted in a way that made Derek wince - it was so rude to interrupt the alpha. Scott still had a lot to learn and, for now, it was clear that Talila was giving him a lot of leeway.

“Allison’s family were hunters.”

The air went out of Derek’s lungs. Kate. He’d let her get so close. For the longest time he’d wondered just what he’d done to upset his mother so with her, or why the age difference had bothered her so much, but now he knew. He’d let something dangerous just walk through the front door.

“Hunters?” Scott echoed and it was obvious from the look he didn’t understand the severity of the statement at all. “So? I mean, I get not wanting to kill like innocent forest creatures, but I don’t think Allison’s spending her weekends in camo shooting squirrels.”

“Not that kind of hunter,” Talia corrected. “The kind of hunter that hunts people like my family. Like us.”

Scott stared for a long moment, then his eyes went wide. “People hunt us!?” His voice cracked when he said it, the scent of fear pouring out of him.

Derek abruptly stood, knocking his chair over in his hurry to get to the door. “I have to go,” he mumbled, but he was forced to stop as Talia caught his arm.

“Derek, no - don’t,” she said, the worry clear in her voice as Scott continued to rail about the fact there were hunters and was he going to die and he never signed on for any of this, or at all and what the hell was going on. “She wasn’t your fault - you didn’t know,” Talia said, ignoring Scott to focus on her son for a moment. Derek’s heart hurt with how well she knew him.

“You never told me,” he said, his head down, eyes lowered, assuming a submissive position to offset the fact he was criticising his alpha’s decisions.

“You were young - you didn’t need to know.”

“Of course I needed to know!” Derek said, more sharply. He raised his head, almost meeting her eyes. “I could have... My choices might have endangered the pack.”

“But they didn’t,” Talia said, firmly. “Don’t live your life by ‘what ifs’, sweetheart. Deal with what we’re facing now, not what might have been.”

Derek faltered, but didn’t try and bolt again. “What if Stiles...” He started his mind reeling out of control and focusing on something he logically knew was ridiculous.

“What about Stiles?” Scott demanded as if that was enough to pull him out of his own moaning.

“I’ve looked into Stiles. He’s fine.”

“Of course he’s fine,” Scott demanded again. “He’s Stiles.”

“You looked into my boyfriend?” Derek asked, appalled, his eyes wide as he finally met his mom’s eyes. “Have you looked into everyone I’ve dated?”

“Yes. And everyone you’ve expressed an interest in and everyone your sisters have expressed an interest in. I will take whatever measures I see fit to protect this pack.”

Scott stared at them, then pointed to Talia. “Allison’s dad is like that.”

“Yeah, but I’m not a teenaged girl,” Derek ground out, ignoring the fact that only moments ago he was panicking about stiles background, a fact that was clearly not lost on Talia, if the expression on her face was anything to go by. “I’m a grown man. An adult.”

“Who doesn’t always have the best taste,” Talia pointed out with a tone that said she was being completely serious. “I have a pack to take care of.”

“You were thrilled with Stiles and you know it.”

“Of course I was. How could I not be? He’s wonderful. But I have to check first.”

“Guys, guys. Can we focus please?” Scott interrupted. “The fact that Allison’s family murders werewolves. Which we all are.”

Talia turned back around and nodded. “Of course. You should stop seeing her.”

“What?!”

Derek nodded, turning to Scott. “She’s right. You need to stop seeing her.”

“What? No. I’m not breaking up with Allison!”

“Scott,” Talia said sternly. “You just said it yourself. Her family kills werewolves. Which you are. You can’t keep seeing her. She’s been trained to do the same thing.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” Scott said stubbornly.

“What else would your girlfriend need to be an archer for?” Talia asked, though it wasn’t much of a question and Scott crumpled, burying his face in his arms.

“It’s a hobby,” Scott said, his voice muffled by his shirt.

“It’s pretty specific sort of hobby,” Derek pointed out, just to hear Scott groan again. He looked at his mother. “What do we do now?” 

“ _You_ both do nothing,” Talia said, with an air of ‘or else’. “Your uncle Peter and I will look into the situation.”

“But... Allison’s family couldn’t have attacked me,” Scott pointed out, protesting. “Allison was _with_ me and I was bitten by a werewolf - not a werewolf hunter.”

“Correct - but I have a feeling that we may find that you weren’t the target, Scott.”

“Then who was?” 

“Allison,” Talia said and Derek was pleased she managed to not roll her eyes when she said it. 

Scott’s eyes flashed yellow, his fingers gripping the table starting to shift. “Who would hurt her?” 

“No one round this table - which is an antique,” Talia said, glancing significantly at the crescent moons that Scott’s claws were forming in the wood. Derek rolled his eyes. The table was so far from an antique it wasn’t even funny. A house full of werewolves, some of them children - you didn’t keep furniture you actually cared about getting destroyed eventually. Still, the admonishment worked. Clearly Scott was used to a matriarchal figure.

“Sorry,” Scott mumbled, trying to smooth his hands over the marks as if that might make them go away. “I can’t...I can’t bear the idea of someone hurting her.”

“Which is why you are staying out of this, Scott. You have to concentrate on learning control, so you can go home and be with your mother and start up a normal life again. Being involved with Allison and hunters and all the problems and uncertainties and stresses that come with that right now isn’t helping anything.”

Scott started to protest, but Derek stepped in, sitting with him with one hand on his shoulder. “One thing at a time Scott. First you’ve got to get being a werewolf under control. Then we’ll deal with the rest.” Derek’s words sounded more sincere than they normally would, but he was feeling the same way. Focus on the task at hand and worry about his crumbling relationship later. Scott watched him for a long moment then finally nodded.

“Okay. Tell me what to do.”


	10. Chapter 10

“ _I’m screwed._ ” Stiles launched into the declaration the moment that Derek connected the call, not giving the older man time to say anything at all. “ _Scott’s mom called my dad to check up on the fact her son hasn’t been home in a few days and wanting to make sure that he’s getting enough sleep and we’re not quote-unquote spending all night up playing video games when we should be working on our history project, oh and by the way Scott forgot his inhaler and he has a doctor’s appointment for his asthma check up tomorrow - which he totally didn’t tell me about and how am I meant to cover for him when he doesn’t tell me things, Derek? Huh? What does he think I am? A freakin’ mind reader? So, my dad knows I’m lying and he wants to know where the hell Scott is and his mom’s freaking out and they know it’s Allison’s car and Scott’s lacrosse shit was in the back of it and now they have him at the scene of a whole lot of blood and reports of screaming and did I mention his mom’s really freaking out and she’s on her way over here right now so you need to produce Scott like yesterday and I don’t care what kind of wolfed out, yellow eyed, potentially no eyebrows, terrible facial hair and a whole lot of fangs he’s got you get him here, like an hour ago, Derek. Now._ ” And then Stiles hung up. Derek hadn’t said a word.

Derek blinked at the phone twice then went to find his mother and Scott. “Scott’s mom is looking for him to the point that he needs to go home,” he told his mother. 

“Then we’re out of time,” Talia said, with a sigh. “Will you take him. Keep an eye on him.”

“Yeah of course,” Derek agreed. “I think he’ll be okay.” Or he hoped, but given that Scott was Stiles’ best friend, Derek wanted him to be. 

“He’ll have to be,” Talia said, as Derek headed out to grab Scott.

The boy was only too happy to get into the car, once he was told he was headed home, though there was a familiar cringe to his posture once he heard that his cover was blown. 

“She’s gonna kill me,” Scott muttered, over and over as Derek headed back into town.

“I'm guessing it won’t be that bad,” Derek tried, but he knew it fell flat. He knew how a mother could be and given the way Scott took to Talia, he guessed his mother was just as tough. 

“It will. I can’t tell her what I am. Not that she’d believe me anyway.” 

“We’ll come up with something,” Derek promised.

“No, _we_ won’t,” Scott told him. “I can’t let you do that. If Stiles’ dad thinks you’re involved… I won’t do something that’s gonna make him think you’re a bad influence.”

“I can take care of myself,” Derek said, slightly amused at the pack’s newest beta, trying to protect him.

“If Stiles’ dad... Stiles really likes you, dude. If I fuck things up for you guys, he’ll kill me.”

“Scott,” Derek sighed. “Stiles has barely spoken to me since the night you were bitten. I really don’t think he cares that much.”

“You’re joking right?” Scott said, half laughing. 

“No I’m not. He hasn’t answered any of my messages, he only called because of you and I didn’t even get a chance to talk to him.” Derek shook his head. “I don’t think he does anymore.” 

Scott shook his head. “He’s just adjusting. He’s probably researching werewolves as we speak. For the love of god, a couple of days ago he was talking about romantic getaways. Trust me. He’s nuts about you.” 

“That was before he found out about what I am.” 

“That doesn’t change who you are,” Scott countered.

“I should be the one telling you that,” Derek said with a hint of a smile. “He was really upset when he found out.”

“Probably because he didn’t like that he hadn’t figured it out on his own.” That comment got a chuckle from Derek as Scott continued, “Stiles… All our lives, he’s been the guy who always knew everything. What was going down, who was friends with who. Who was arguing with who. He’s not a gossip, he just - he sees everything. Even when you think he’s not paying attention, he takes it in like some kind of sponge. But the flip side of that is that he’s not used to not knowing. He… tends to take it personally. I don’t think it’s even that you didn’t tell him - it’s that you didn’t tell him _and_ he didn’t figure it out.”

“I kinda wanted him to,” Derek admitted, dropping his head and shrugging. It was a hard thing to admit, under the circumstances. “We don’t tell people, really. Not unless we have to, or if they’re brought into the pack.” Derek rolled his eyes at that wording and decided to put it in a way that Scott would more likely understand. “Not unless they’re becoming family.”

“What, so - to be able to tell Stiles, you’d have to propose?” Scott asked, eyes wide. 

Derek shrugged. “Mostly yeah,” he said. “It’s a matter of safety, like we were saying.”

“Wow. Yeah, don’t do that any time soon okay?” Scott said.

“What? Propose? Why? I mean I wouldn’t, but why?”

“Because he might say yes.”

Derek almost crashed the car, narrowly missing a Buick that was parked on the curb. They swerved a couple of times before getting it back under control. It took him a moment or two to get his breathing back under control, just as they pulled up to a stop sign. Hitting the brakes, Derek turned to Scott. “He’d… really?”

Scott held on to the door until the car stopped, shaking away the adrenaline. “Yes. Really. He’s Stiles. He’s had all of no one interested in ever. He’s...crazy about you.” 

Derek wilted, slumping against the wheel and then turning back to concentrate on the road, pulling away from the junction and turning right.

“What did I say?” Scott asked, bewildered.

“It doesn’t matter,” Derek muttered, keeping his eyes firmly on the road.

“Er, no - it clearly does, dude? So - what’s suddenly got you acting like someone kicked your puppy?”

Derek huffed and considered refusing to answer, but he could feel Scott giving him that look. It was worse than being looked at by his mother. He had no idea what it was, but it was almost impossible to ignore. “I didn’t realize Stiles was with me just because he didn’t have any other options, okay?” he snapped. “Because I am _actually_ , legitimately crazy about him, but the way you say it, you make him sound like he’s just desperate and settling for what he thinks he can get.” Derek knew he was sulking - he could hear the pout in his voice, but the idea that Stiles would get over whatever was going on because it was better than a life alone and not because he couldn’t be without Derek, well, it made him feel kinda sick.

Scott rolled his eyes. “Oh my god, you’re a moron. That’s not at all what I’m saying. I’m saying he really likes you. He’s never had a chance to really like someone who likes him back. He gets carried away with things. He’ll want that and won’t even think for a second it’s too soon. He’ll be googling adoption policies. He won’t know where to hold back.” Scott paused for a moment then looked over at Derek. “You really are crazy about him?” 

Derek squirmed in his seat, highly aware that the examples that Scott was giving were things that Derek had been actively talking himself out of doing, but that he’d been dreaming about. “Yes?” he suggested, then shook himself. He had this under control. Sure, he’d already planned out half of his life with Stiles, but that didn’t mean he was going to actually act on those fantasies right now. “Yes. Totally gone on him. I’ve never known anyone like him.”

“Let’s hope there’s only one of him,” Scott said fondly. 

“There is,” Derek agreed with a heartfelt sigh. “There can’t be anyone like him.”

Scott sighed himself. “As weird as it is that you’re talking about my best friend like that, that’s how I feel about Allison.” 

That made Derek feel like shit. “You really do need to stop seeing her,” he said, knowing that was going to go over badly.

“No way.”

“Her family are hunters.”

“So what? Allison isn’t her family. You don’t know what it’s like. You said it - your mom loves Stiles. It’s not like you have to deal with being the one dating someone that’s not on your mother’s approved list!”

“I dated her aunt.”

“What?”

“Allison’s aunt. Back in high school. I dated Kate Argent. My mom found out. All hell broke loose. She forbade me from ever seeing her again.”

“And...?” Scott asked.

“And I never saw her again.”

“And if she forbid you to see Stiles? What would you do then?” 

Derek’s breath caught in his throat and his heart stuttered. “She wouldn’t do that,” he said, carefully.

“But, if she did?”

“She wouldn’t...” Derek tried again, torn between his feelings and doing what his alpha requested. “I... I don’t know what I’d do.” 

Scott raised a brow. “Hey, this is my best friend we’re talking about, so the correct answer is, ‘I’d tell my mother where to stick her opinion’.”

“Only she’s my alpha. It’s not something you go against.” 

“But it’s Stiles. You’re crazy about him. Doesn’t that matter?” 

“Yes, it matters. Of course it matters - but to challenge the alpha of a pack? Especially someone like me... I’m not alpha material. I don’t _want_ to be the alpha. But, if I challenged the ruling of my alpha, then it means it’s a challenge to her. Or, it’s a rejection of her. So it would mean that I would either be trying to take her place and she would be forced to knock me down to establish that she has control, or I’d have to leave my pack.”

Scott frowned. “It’s a good thing I’m not in her pack then. Because I can’t see sacrificing the one person that makes me truly happy because my alpha just said so. Not without a fight at least.” 

Derek didn’t have a chance to answer before they pulled up outside the Stilinski house. Stiles had clearly been watching for them as the front door was thrown open and the teenager was bounding down the path before Derek had even killed the engine.

Derek felt his heart leap up into his throat, staring at Stiles. Scott was moving though, getting out of the car as relief washed over Stiles’ face in an almost comically manner. “Thank everything. You’re here. You’re alive.” He reached for Scott and they shared a hug as Derek looked on, feeling like he was interrupting something intimate. They might not be pack, they might not even be family, but these two were clearly each other’s brothers. 

Stiles let Scott go after a moment, pushing him toward the door. “Go, god please - before we get in anymore trouble. Your mom’s in there with my dad. I’ve kinda… Actually, not told them anything yet, so you’d better have something.”

Derek caught the terrified look that Scott gave Stiles at that and knew for a fact that Scott had nothing at all. In that instant, he made a decision. Climbing out of the car, he joined Scott and Stiles. “He has something,” he said, placing himself next to Scott and in front of Stiles. Scott looked up at him and Derek could hear the way his heart was racing, close to panic. “He has the truth.”

Stiles choked out a laugh. “You’re joking. You have to be. You can’t tell them the truth. No. Way. I barely even believe the truth. They definitely won’t. Actually, they’ll think you’re on drugs.”

Derek took a breath, hoped that it was all going to turn out okay, and shook his head as his fangs extended, his eyes shining blue as his wolf’s features appeared. “No they won’t,” he promised.

Derek could hear Stiles’ breath catch in his throat. “You...” It was obvious he was trying to process things, determine what to do, but after a moment he sighed and nodded. “Okay. You’re the expert.” He waved at both of them, as if he was giving up. 

Derek continued looking at Stiles, his heart in his throat, wanting to ask if this was okay and knowing he didn’t just mean with regard to the adults inside. Stiles, though, had already turned away and was ushering them both toward the front door. Derek shook off his wolf face and sent up a small prayer that this wasn’t going to be a complete disaster.

Stiles trailed behind them, close as they entered the house as if he might be needed, but Derek couldn’t tell if he was there for him or Scott. Probably Scott, but he wanted it to be both of them. At the sight of her son, Melissa McCall let out a sigh a of relief, wrapping him up in her arms for a shaking moment before she pulled away and gripped his shoulders. “Just where the hell have you been?” she demanded, her voice as stern as Derek had seen his own mother’s get and it was enough for even the Sheriff to wince. 

“He’s been staying with me,” Derek said, before Scott could even attempt to give an explanation and Melissa’s attention snapped to him.

“And why was he with you? Without his mother even knowing where he was?” she asked, heatedly. “Why did Stiles feel the need to lie to us about where my son was?”

“Mom,” Scott half pleaded, reaching for her arm to try and pull her attention back to him. “Derek was helping me out with some stuff.” 

“Stuff for what?” Melissa demanded. 

Scott looked to Derek at that, but it was Stiles who answered. “Melissa, dad - can we all sit down and talk?”

“Stiles, I’m not in the mood for whatever scheme-” Melissa started but the sheriff stopped her. 

“Let’s hear him out,” the older man said, hand on Melissa’s arm and guiding her towards the kitchen table. There must have been something in Stiles’ tone or look that made the sheriff believe him, but Derek took that as good sign.

Derek ended up sitting between Scott and Stiles at the kitchen table, something he felt great about, until he realised that the two teenagers had specifically positioned themselves to protect Derek from their parents.

Stiles looked at Scott, then shook his head and started for him. “When Scott was out in the woods with Allison he got hurt.” Melissa gasped, but Scott waved her quiet. 

“I’m fine mom. Just an animal bite. But it’s healed...” 

“Why didn’t you go to the hospital?” Melissa asked. She rose from her seat. “Stand up. Show me. I want to see.” Scott sighed but got up and showed her his side. The bite was gone, completely healed and Melissa glared at her son. “What is this?” 

“This is where I was bitten,” Scott said.

Melissa raised her brows and looked up at her son. “Well, it can’t have been more than a scratch. Not even a scratch. You’re not even bruised. No way there was a bite,” she said, doubtfully.

“Oh. There was a bite,” Stiles interrupted. “A big one. With blood. Lots of blood. I was scrubbing it out of the hall rug for half the night before I gave up and threw it in the trash.”

“You said you’d dropped bleach on that rug. I knew your cleaning the bathroom was too good to be true,” the Sheriff grumbled.

“Well I actually did clean the bathroom. You know, because I lied about it.” Stiles shrugged and Derek felt that same warmth he constantly got around Stiles. His father just rolled his eyes. 

“There’s no way you were hurt enough to bleed,” Melissa said, with a certainty borne straight out of professionalism. She glanced at Stiles and added, “Have you two been playing with fake blood again?”

“Again? What? No. We don’t... That was once!” 

“Twice Stiles,” Scott corrected. 

“When? Ohh the time we got you out of lacrosse so we could drive to ComiCon...”

“What?” The Sheriff didn’t look amused. 

“Nothing dad. We haven’t been playing with fake blood.” 

“The blood wasn’t fake,” Derek announced, cutting across the various burgeoning arguments. “Neither was the bite.” He spoke with such certainty that the table fell silent and everyone looked at him. Derek focused in on Stiles father. “Sheriff - you were called out to a potential crime scene the other night. A car, blood - reports of screaming?”

“That’s right,” Sheriff Stilinski confirmed with a nod and a shrewd expression.

“Scott and his girlfriend Allison were in the car. They heard a noise and Scott went out to investigate.” Derek couldn’t help but shoot a ‘you’re a moron’ look at Scott for doing that. How urban legend could you actually get? “Scott was attacked and Allison went running for help. You got called out of dinner to investigate, and Scott turned up here, hurt.”

“Almost got us out of it,” Stiles said, sinking into his chair. 

“Out of what?” The Sheriff demanded. “We’ve put that much together. I feel like you know what happened to him son,” he told Derek. “I need you to tell me what it is.” 

“This is going to be hard for you to believe,” Derek said, looking between the Sheriff and Scott’s mom.

“Trust me, Derek, I’ve heard a lot of tall tales in my life,” Stiles’ father said, drily.

 _Not like this, you haven’t._ Derek took a breath, before pushing forward. “Scott was bitten by a werewolf.”

There was silence in the room until Stiles groaned softly and let his forehead thunk on the table. “Derek...” The Sheriff started. 

“It’s true!” Scott inserted before Stiles’ father could get his lecture going. 

“A werewolf?” Melissa asked, doubt and disbelief dripping from her tone.

“Yes,” Derek said, in the same steady and succinct tone that he had used since he got here.

“You’re kidding.” The Sheriff kept blinking, looking between Scott and Derek. 

“He’s not. You can tell dad. No signs of lying. You can see it.” Stiles sat up more and smiled, but the look was a little manic. 

“It’s an alpha - one from out of the area,” Derek continued, still speaking seriously. “So, the person you’re looking for is someone not habitually resident in Beacon Hills, but I wouldn’t recommend that they’re approached. An alpha that would attack an innocent bystander is very dangerous. It’s not normal behaviour. Your office needs to be very careful,” he explained, before turning to Melissa. “My family has been caring for Scott after we realised what had happened. The bite of an alpha is very specific. It... Changes you. Scott’s a werewolf now.”

The Sheriff looked torn between taking in the information and using it or not believing a word out of Derek’s mouth. Melissa managed to speak first. “He’s a what? No. No. This is... This is ridiculous.” 

“Don’t do it, Derek,” Stiles said in a way that had Derek staring at him because, since when had Stiles become some kind of a mind reader?

“It’s the easiest way,” Derek countered.

“Sure, the easiest way to _freak everyone the fuck out_ ,” Stiles argued.

“It’s not...that’s not the goal.” 

“Which is why you shouldn’t do it.” Stiles looked pained for a moment. “Please?” 

Derek stared at Stiles, long and hard, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut that he’d already lost. He knew he’d had this little dream in the back of his head. That, somehow, this entire thing would end up with Stiles embracing what he was. With the Sheriff being cool about it all. Some version of riding off into the sunset and living happily ever after.

He should have known it was never going to happen. Stiles was already freaked. His father was just confused and probably thought Derek some kind of delusional liar who wasn’t safe to be around his son. _This_ was why Derek was no alpha. This was why his natural position was to be part of the pack, let someone else make the plans. His strategies sucked. 

Lowering his eyes, he looked away, his body language deferring to Stiles.

“It’s what we said. That’s what we know. You should call Talia,” Stiles told his father. “She can explain the rest and might be able to help you with what you’re looking for.” 

“Stiles,” the Sheriff started. “I don’t even know what to make of this. I know you’re grounded.”

“So are you Scott,” Melissa added. 

“And you should go Derek.” 

Stiles got up before Derek could. “Come on Der, I’ll walk you out.” Derek sighed, getting up slowly. 

“I’m sorry sir,” he mumbled to the Sheriff before letting Stiles pull him towards the door. Stiles opened the door, but to Derek’s surprise, the younger man followed him out of the house. 

“Thanks for that. He’s gonna get his head around it and it’s gonna be fine, but I didn’t want to be forbidden to see you before he does.” 

Derek looked at Stiles, not certain he understood. “You still want to see me?” he asked, his brow wrinkling as Stiles looked at him like he’d actually just grown wolf ears and a tail.

“Well, yeah - you’re my boyfriend and it’s been _days_ since I’ve seen you.”

“But...”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Okay, sure. It was - part of me is still kinda mad that I didn’t know and you don’t ever keep anything like that from me again, but... I get it? Why you did? And, like, I know a whole lot more about werewolves now and...”

“You know a lot more about werewolves?” 

“Uh yeah. My boyfriend is one. My best friend is one. I was going to research the hell out of it.” 

“But I thought-” Derek managed before Stiles placed a finger over his lips to shut him up.

“You thought wrong,” Stiles corrected then kissed him before he could answer again. 

Derek was more than happy to let words go in favor of wrapping his arms around Stiles, one hand at his back, pulling him closer, the other burying in Stiles’ hair, twisting and gripping lightly to hold him there, not willing to allow him to pull back from the kiss just yet.

Stiles didn’t seem to mind, melding against his chest as he kissed him back. Derek let the kiss draw out for a long while until he finally had to breathe. 

“You don’t have a problem with...?” he asked breathlessly, resting their foreheads together.

“You kissing me? Nope.” Stiles kissed him lightly. 

“You know that’s not what I’m talking about,” Derek said, though he was smiling a little, revelling in the fact that Stiles didn’t pull away. Everything was now feeling a whole lot less disastrous.

“I figured there were a whole hell of a lot worse things that you could be. Plus this helps with me worrying you were too perfect. I was starting to think you might be a character off a Lifetime TV movie.” Stiles hooked his fingers in Derek’s shirt, keeping him close. 

“And now you know my dirty secret,” Derek teased. “I’m no Lifetime movie - I’m more horror movie.” He made light of it, presenting it as a joke, but there was a vein of seriousness weaving through it as Derek watched Stiles intently, listening to the beating of his heart, waiting to see if anything was amiss. Derek let out the breath he didn’t know he had been holding when Stiles just chuckled a little, his brown eyes sparkling.

“Yeah, you’re really scary,” Stiles said, rolling his eyes.

“I can be,” Derek pointed out, but Stiles just smiled.

“Sure you can,” Stiles said with a little smirk before looking over show shoulder at the house. “So can my dad. And he will be if you don’t go. But I’ll see you soon okay? Probably not long after our parents talk. So yeah, warn your mom about that.” 

“I will,” Derek promised, stealing one last kiss before stepping away. “Soon,” he added. He waiting for the confirmation nod from Stiles, before turning and disappearing down the street.


	11. Chapter 11

_”You told the Sheriff, are you insane? Urg, go to your room. Stay there. I have to go do damage control.”_

Talia’s words were still ringing in Derek’s ears as he sat on his bed. He listened as his mother made some frantic phonecalls, then as she stormed out of the house and sped away in her car down the driveway. Wincing, Derek picked up his phone and sent a text message to Stiles.

**Your dad called my mom. She’s on her way over to see him.**

The response came back a few minutes later. **Oh goody. At least she can explain some stuff to him. Sure makes getting caught making out in the car look like nothing.** Derek had to laugh at that even if he wasn’t feeling very amused in the moment. Before he could respond though his phone buzzed again. **How bad is this? Random werewolves attacking Scott?**

Derek started to type out a response before he realised that it was going to get really long, really fast and instead just sent, **Can you get out to meet me? Park by your house, 10 minutes?**

The answer came back almost immediately. **Yes, but if I leave does your mom kill my dad? She just got here and they’re doing that sort of angry whispering thing.**

Derek stared at the message for a moment, trying to read tone into it. It was difficult - he really hated dealing with text messages. It was like not having most of his senses. So much was communicated in tone and body language. Words on a screen told him so little. Scowling, he sent a quick reply. **My mom won’t hurt him.**

 **Good. See you there in 10.**

Derek still didn’t feel like that was enough, but he’d get more once he could see Stiles and that would have to do for the moment.

Darkness was falling when Derek got to the park and the place was empty, aside from a figure sitting on one of the swings, pushing himself back and forth with a foot, the other pulled up beneath him as he sat slumped in the seat, his arms looped around the chains.

“Hey,” Derek said, quietly, and Stiles smiled up at him, pushing off enough to sway the swing toward Derek, reaching out to catch him and tug him toward him, then using Derek as an anchor so Stiles didn’t sway back again.

“That bad huh?” Stiles asked, looking up at Derek with worry etched behind his smile. 

“It’s not good that's for sure,” Derek said, but he let his hand run through the hair at the back of Stiles’ neck. “There aren’t supposed to be other alphas in our territory.”

“How do you stop them? I don’t see any, like, huge fence around your property. Just that one gate and honestly? It kinda sucks. Can slide right under that thing. It’s not even chained,” Stiles pointed out, leaning into Derek’s touch and looking up at him.

Derek hitched a laugh at that. “Our territory's bigger than the preserve,” he said, continuing at Stiles’ interested expression. “Historically, Hale packlands stretch throughout Beacon Hills. At the moment, we hold over half of Beacon County - from Beacon Heights in the east all the way across to the county edge in the West. To a werewolf, that territory is marked. It’s clear. We all know where the boundaries are, and there is clear protocol when crossing into packlands. You’re allowed twenty-four hours for crossing territory under the freedom of movement treaties. During that time, you’re not allowed to sleep, or settle in a town for more than a few hours. You also are expected to abide by the hospitality rules - which certainly include not attacking people. In fact, if you get into any kind of altercation, even in self-defence, you are obliged to present yourself to the territory alpha with an explanation. It’s a whole lot like not leaving the scene of an accident. Doesn’t matter if you’re guilty or innocent, you have to abide by the rules. And all of that? Is for betas and omegas. The rules are stricter for alphas. No alpha is permitted to enter another alpha’s territory without prior permission. And in this day and age, there’s no excuse for that. Every alpha in the country has my mom’s cell phone number. One call is all it takes. Which means an alpha came onto Hale land without permission, and then attacked your best friend. It’s about as bad as it can get without someone actually dying.”

Stiles looked a little baffled, but still ran with it. “Or worse. I mean, if I was writing rules, I’d have penalties for turning unsuspecting humans right? Just killing someone is one thing, but biting them then letting them turn with no warning? What if they hurt other people? That’s a real concern from what I’ve read.” 

“How much have you read?” 

“Half the internet,” Stiles said with a wave of his hand. “That’s not important. Not when there’s rouge alphas turning people for no reason.” 

“I don’t think they were trying to get to Scott,” Derek said. “He’s not a good target.” 

“Seriously. He’s going to be the worst werewolf ever. Nothing about him is scary.” Stiles stopped for a moment. “Who else would they be after?” he asked, then his eyes went wide. “Allison?” 

Derek nodded. “That’s my bet. Given her family, she’d be a good target. They’ve bound to have pissed people off somewhere along the line. If an alpha is going to risk everything, it’s going to be for a reason. Revenge against hunters? I could understand that.”

Stiles let go of Derek so he could go back to swinging, one foot planted as he rocked himself back and forth and thought that over. “And Scott would smell like her right? I mean they’d have to know that she was a girl, but in the heat of a moment... Of course taking out her boyfriend would have an impact too.” He drug his fingers through his hair. “Damn. Wait... Her family? Hunters like... like _hunters_?” 

Derek moved to take the swing next to Stiles, sinking down into the seat and turning sideways to face him. “Like hunters,” he agreed. “Like family lines committed to hunting down and killing werewolves and other supernatural creatures.” He thought back to Kate and a shadow passed across his face - one not missed by Stiles, who stopped swaying and placed a hand on Derek’s knee, looking questioning. “I just - I’ve only just found out myself,” Derek explained. “I had no idea.”

“Look, Allison can be a bit odd, but she’s not bad people. I’ve known her for years,” Stiles insisted. “And if she was bad people I would have steered Scott clear away.” 

“I like Allison,” Derek told him. “She’s a nice girl. I just… I never knew her family were hunters.”

“So? If you like Allison…”

“I… Used to date her aunt. Years ago. When I was younger than you, actually. She was this older woman and it was this thing and I was so impressed that this gorgeous, worldly women would be interested in _me_ and…I didn’t get it when my mom found out and she was so mad. She threw Kate out on her ear, basically, and everything was weird for so long. For years I’ve just thought that she thought Kate was too old for me. And now I find out that Kate was a hunter? It’s…kinda throwing me.”

Stiles was quiet for a long moment. “I guess our age difference should have been the first sign right?” Derek looked confused before Stiles continued. “Your mom, she didn’t have an issue with me and it’s probably just as big a gap right? If that didn’t bother her it must have been something else.” Stiles was quiet for a moment. “You okay? Like...you said it’s throwing you. Why? Just because you didn’t know? Because Scott didn’t know about Allison either. He’s a little naive, but they’ve been together a while now.” 

“After Kate, my relationship with my mom was really strained for a pretty long time. At first I wouldn’t speak to her, but even after we were technically speaking again, it was still hard,” Derek said, scuffing his booted feet back and forth in the dirt. “I resented her, that she was trying to control my life.”

“And she never told you why she did it.” Stiles didn’t have to make it a question, but Derek could hear the sympathy in the statement.

“No - she just laid down the law, and I was a kid and she was not only my mom, she was my alpha as well. I always thought it was that she thought Kate was too old, but like you said - mom never had a problem with you.” He raised his gaze to meet Stiles’ and smiled gently. “She loves you. I think he’d like to keep you,” he said, softly, hiding his own feelings behind that of his mother. “Kate and her family? Not so much. She thinks Scott should stop seeing Allison.”

“Well if she’d just _told_ you, there’d probably be a lot less animosity between you two you know?” Stiles shook his head at that, but still found a smile. “She likes me? Well, what are you going to say about that? Because I’m not dating her.” He swung his swing towards Derek as the older guy just rolled his eyes at the comment and pushed Stiles playfully back towards center. “Yeah she can try and stop Scott, but it doesn’t work. Allison’s dad didn't want them seeing each other at one point and look how well that worked out. Scotty is in love.”

Derek leveled Stiles a serious look, but a smile played along his lips - how could it not, when his boyfriend was just being, well, him. “‘Scotty’ is a werewolf now. Allison’s family are hunters. The whole ‘star-crossed lovers’ routine is all very romantic and everything, but generally speaking, it doesn’t end too well. I think Scott needs to consider his priorities.”

Stiles raised an eyebrow at that. “I think you need to remember that Scott is eighteen and very high on the list of this priorities is getting laid. After that he’s a hopeless romantic so the star-crossed lovers bit is going to appeal to him on a zillion different levels.”

Derek slowed his gentle swinging to a halt, running his gaze along Stiles’ body as he couldn’t help but think that Stiles was eighteen and probably had the exact same priorities. It made it difficult to focus on the conversation, but Derek soldiered on, trying his best. “I’ve always found that’s a good reason to listen to your alpha,” he admitted, though he sounded distracted as his mind flitted off to fantasies of pale skin and scattered moles and a boyfriend who would be oh so eager to learn what Derek could teach him.

“Which reason? Raging hormones? Or are they still raging at this point. That was definitely the excuse all through high school...” Stiles shrugged to himself then smirked over at Derek, not seeming to realize where Derek’s mind was. “Is she really Scott's alpha anyway?”

“She’s not officially Scott’s alpha, unless Scott decides he wants her to be. He didn’t ask for the bite, so there’s no automatic loyalty expectation that goes with receiving it. But it’s hard, not having a pack. If Scott’s not feeling it already, he will do soon. And the benefits of having an alpha - it’s hard to explain to someone who doesn’t have the same instincts,” Derek admitted, trying to convey in his expression that he didn’t mean that as an insult to Stiles, it was just how it was. “When it comes to relationships though, your alpha can provide a certain level of objectivity and you know that your alpha wants the best for you and for the pack.”

“What about when what’s best for you clashes with what’s best for the pack?” Stiles asked, with typical insight. 

Derek looked away then shrugged. “Everyone makes sacrifices. It doesn’t usually end up being like that.” 

“Yeah but...what if it does? You just suffer?”

“You ask yourself what’s more important,” Derek said, reaching out to hook Stiles hand and dragging him over. “What you want, or what’s good for the pack.” 

“So what if what you want is more important?” Stiles asked, not fighting being brought closer. 

Derek slid his hands to grasp Stiles by the hips and lifted him over to straddle his lap. It was the first time he’d ever used his full strength on Stiles and that didn’t go unnoticed if the gasp that the younger guy gave was anything to go by. “If what I want is more important,” Derek said, his voice low and intimate. “If it means that much to me, and my alpha tells me no, then I’d leave my pack.”

“Scott would do the same,” Stiles said, but he was running his hands through Derek’s hair, obviously not focused on Scott anymore. “Could you get hurt, with all this rogue alpha stuff going on?” 

“Maybe,” Derek admitted. “I heal fast from most injuries, but anything caused by an alpha takes longer.”

“Any chance of you not getting injured at all? You know, most people consider that an option,” Stiles said, clearly attempting to make a joke of it, one that fell flat due to the underlying concern there.

“You don’t need to be worried about me,” Derek said instead, touching Stiles’ cheek lightly. 

“Yes, I do. I worry about everyone. That’s kind of my thing. It’s just... not everyone notices. Which is fine - I mean, I don’t need them to. I just - I really don’t want you to get hurt.”

“You do worry about everyone don’t you?” 

“Someone has to. Why not me? I’m not really doing much else in the friend group.” 

Derek chuckled. “I fail to believe that,” he teased, pushing off from the ground so that they were swinging back and forth, Derek holding onto Stiles to make sure he didn’t fall.

“Really? Have you noticed some other role I play?” 

“I don’t think I’ve spent enough time around you and your friends to be able to say, but I know I’ve spent enough time around _you_ to know that you’re more than just someone who’s only good for worrying about other people.”

“Oh really? So what else is on that list of things I’m good for?” 

Derek pursed his lips and looked up at the darkening sky as they swayed back and forth, making a show of thinking about the question before he looked back at Stiles. “You’re funny, and sharp. You generally have a comeback for everything. You’re sarcastic - which I like. One of the first things that I really liked about you was that you could keep up with me. That we could probably have talked all night, about anything, and you would have been right there. You’re the kind of friend that everyone wants to have in their lives and should fight to keep. You don’t just _worry_ about people, Stiles. You don’t just sit in a corner and hope that they’ll be okay. Your best friend gets attacked, you get basically blindsided by the idea that there’s this whole other world out there you knew nothing about and most people would have lost it. At least for a little while. Your response? Was to throw yourself into it. To find out as much as you can about it. You’re fearless, Stiles and they are so lucky to have you. _I_ am so lucky to have you.”

Stiles had a look of genuine awe for a long moment before shaking his head. “I think I’m those things, but I’m pretty sure no one notices. And no one else can keep up with me. They just make faces and walk away.” He was quiet for a moment then leaned in closer to Derek. “I did freak out. There was a solid five minutes after you left where I sort of lost it, but then I realized it didn’t change how I felt about Scott even if he was something else he was still my best friend. And it didn’t change how I felt about you either.” 

“I thought it had,” Derek admitted. “I thought that that was it, between us. When I brought mom in and with just dumping everything out there. It wasn’t exactly how I’d envisioned this going, but Scott needed to know.”

“So, you chose pack over me,” Stiles said, quietly. Derek would have thought that he was hurt, aside from the fact that his heart rate was steady and he didn’t have that bitter-sweet scent of disappointment.

“It wasn’t…”

“Thank you,” Stiles said, cutting Derek off before he could explain. “Scott’s like a brother to me and I know now you have his back. You were there to help my friend. You risked everything - I mean… Do you realise how wrong it could have gone? If I’d have freaked and told my dad that there were monsters or… something? You didn’t know. You couldn’t know, not really, how I’d react. And you said it yourself - you thought that we were over and all of that? You risked all of that for Scott. Who you’ve met once. Thank you.”

It was Derek’s turn to stare at Stiles then, stilling the swing and then kissing him, hard. “How are you not a wolf?” he asked, breathlessly, when he pulled away. “God, you get it. You get it so much.”

Stiles laughed breathlessly, resting his forehead against Derek’s. “Because I’m me. Not a wolf. But I’m glad I get it. I want to get it because I want to get you.”

Derek shook his head. “You get it anyway. I’ve seen it. You… God, Stiles, watching you and your instincts, the things you do. Sometimes I forget you’re human. But you do - you get me. You’re…” Derek swallowed and ploughed ahead. “My mom - sooner or later, with us being together - she’ll offer you the bite. It’s a voluntary thing. It’s a mark of respect, the offer. Not the bite. I just - I wanted to let you know. It’s totally up to you what you decide. You only have to take it if it’s what _you_ want.”

Stiles looked like he had a witty comment about something Derek said, but he didn’t say it. Instead he just leaned back slightly, sitting back more on Derek’s knees than he had been moments before. “What happens if I don’t take it?” he asked quietly, voice serious. 

Derek shrugged. “Then you stay human, you don’t become a werewolf and life carries on.”

“What about us?” Stiles asked, real concern in his voice.

“What about us?” Derek asked, but relented immediately, brushing a kiss across Stiles’ lips to brush that worried look off his face. “You don’t care I’m a werewolf. I don’t care you’re human. We have humans in the pack. What you choose will have absolutely no bearing on you and I as a couple, either way.”

Stiles relaxed against him and nodded. “Alright. Fair enough. I don’t know if I could change.” He pulled back and looked at Derek. “At least, not unless you really wanted me to. Then I’d think about it.”

Derek shook his head. “I only want it if you want it,” he said, intently, needing to make sure that Stiles understood that. “I will never ask you to change who you are.”

Stiles looked relieved when he nodded. “Okay. Fair enough.” He kissed Derek again, settling against him. “Anything else I should know?”

Derek raised his brows, mirroring the question as he said, “About me? Not really. No huge secrets. I’m never going to be my pack’s alpha. I’m not really cut out for leadership. If that kind of thing bothers you…” He asked almost curiously, because he doubted Stiles would care. If anything, Derek had logged Stiles as an alpha personality, so he probably wouldn’t even consider wanting the competition.

“Am I missing out on some sort of perk because of dating an alpha? Do I get a new car?” Stiles asked.

Derek laughed outright at that. “No, you don’t get a new car. It’s not about the perks. It’s about the fact that your boyfriend will always have someone who has a say and an input into his life.”

“I think I’m fine with that provided he talks to me about things,” Stiles said with a shrug. 

“And…. Some people do actually kinda go after the types that will have power. Which - I don’t think is really you, but you did ask if there’s anything else you should know.”

“I’m not really interested in power anyway. I’ve seen what it does to people. You’re lucky you weren’t around when Jackson was made captain.” 

“The less I’m around Jackson, the better,” Derek said, his face darkening. “The guy’s a certified ass.”

Stiles laughed at that shaking his head. “He’s best with a Lydia buffer, but it’s smartest not to take him seriously. I’ve gotten used to him though I guess. I don’t like him, but I don’t hate him as much.” 

“I could have happily ripped his throat out with the way he was treating you the other night.”

“That’s not something you hear every day,” Stiles said, before shaking his head. “Don’t do that. I can’t have you getting arrested for homicide. By my dad. But if he really pisses you off just punch him in the arm really hard.” 

“I wouldn’t actually do it,” Derek reassured him. “But if he speaks to you like that again, then I will punch him. And it won’t be in the arm.”

“How ridiculously chivalrous and chauvinistic of you!” Stiles countered with a grin. “While I like that you can protect me, you don’t have to. He’s not going to hurt me.” 

Rolling his eyes, Derek said, “I’m not entirely convinced that I can be chauvinistic when we’re both guys.”

“That’s sexist,” Stiles said seriously even if his eyes sparkled with amusement. 

“How does that even work?” Derek shot right back.

“It just does. And because you’re acting like I need you to fight fights for me.” Stiles gave Derek a look. 

Derek shrugged a little. “It’s what I am - I’m built to protect my own. It’s not sexist. My sisters do the same. We all do. And we know that we’ll do it to each other. We protect them and they protect us.”

“Okay, your sisters aren’t allowed to beat people up for me either,” Stiles pointed out. “I’m helpless, but you know, full of sarcastic wit.” 

“And the day we meet a bad guy who can be defeated by sarcastic wit, then you’re going to be the hero and I will be your damsel in distress,” Derek teased, kissing Stiles lightly and rubbing their noses together playfully.

“I think we should just avoid bad guys in general,” Stiles pointed out. “That would be the ideal situation.” 

“Absolutely ideal,” Derek agreed, without hesitation, deciding that he could ignore the existence of a rogue alpha for the night.


	12. Chapter 12

Stiles turned the jeep off in the parking spot that he knew was closest to his father’s office. “Okay,” he said, turning in his seat to look at Scott and Derek. “According to Allison, your mom and my dad called Mr. Argent in to talk about the incident in the woods. They’re actually calling it that, you know, I’ve heard my dad say it. An incident. Like it’s not some big huge deal-”

“Stiles. Focus,” Scott said, twisting his fingers together. “You’re making me nervous.”

Stiles paused then nodded as if realizing that nervous was bad for the new werewolf and started again. “Okay. Fair enough. They’re right there. Now...tell me what they’re saying.”

“They’re _inside the building_ ,” Scott pointed out, looking at Stiles like he was crazy.

“Your dad’s asking Mr. Argent if he knows of any reason why anyone would target his family,” Derek said, focusing intently toward the station.

“Dude, how did you even…” Scott breathed, only for Derek to gesture for him to be quiet.

“I’m listening. So should you. Just concentrate - the hardest part is filtering out the other voices.”

“Filtering out…”

“Scott,” Stiles snapped. “He said shut up. What’s Argent saying?”

Derek shook his head. “He’s talking around the subject. Not answering… Wow - your dad is good. He takes no shit, does he?” he asked with a laugh.

“Yeah, there’s a reason why I sleep at Scott’s when we drink. The man sees through everything.” Stiles shook his head.

“Your dad just outright told him that he can’t help him if Argent isn’t honest with him,” Derek continued. “Argent doesn’t seem to think he needs their help.” Then Derek winced and caught Scott wincing out of the corner of his eye.

“Your mom is terrifying,” Scott mumbled softly and Derek nodded.

Stiles looked between the two of them. “What’s going on? What did she say? Wow, this is like being on the outside of some little club you to have going.”

_You could be in it_. Derek had to bite back the words. He knew he wouldn’t push Stiles into the bite. They talked about it. It just was right there, tip of his tongue. “She told him to stop screwing around. Because she knows what he is.”

“Her tone though.” Scott shuddered.

“Argent’s saying he and his daughter left the family when his wife died.”

“Allison’s mother died?” Stiles asked, his tone full of pity and empathy with the girl as Scott glanced across and nodded.

“Yeah - she committed suicide a couple of months before they moved here. According to Allison, she had a long history of depression. Allison doesn’t like to talk about it,” Scott explained.

Derek frowned. “She was attacked. She got...Damn hunters are fucked up.” He let out a long breath and shook his head. “She got bit, like Scott, when they were hunting a pack of alphas. She committed suicide instead of becoming a werewolf.” Stiles’ looked like he was forcing himself not to look at Scott and Derek pushed on before things got too awkward. “They left the family. The town. They were careful…”

“I can’t hear him, but I know my father told him that he wasn’t careful enough.”

“Word for word,” Derek agreed with a chuckle.

“Mr. Argent’s worried. He’s not trying to hide things any more,” Scott said. “He’s telling them what they know about the pack that they were hunting.” Scott stopped and looked at Derek. “Dude - your mom sounds worried. Really worried.”

Derek nodded, swallowing. It was true - Talia Hale, a woman he had never known to be scared of anything. A woman who had walked into a room with a hunter without breaking a sweat, sounded more than a little concerned. He could hear the familiar heartbeat of his mother, the first sound he had ever heard and that he could pick out of a crowd, start to race. “She must know them,” he concluded. “She knows who bit you.”

Stiles looked pained. “Derek…” Derek reached for his hand, covering it with his own. He could hear Stiles’ heart rate pick up as well, Scott too.

“Who? They haven’t said. She hasn’t said.”

“I don’t know - but she knows. I can tell and she doesn’t think that it’s good. It’s very bad. She’s worried.”

“How can you tell?” Stiles asked.

“She’s getting quieter - letting your dad ask questions and not interrupting the way she would normally. Her heart’s racing. She’s… the way she’s walking. She’s pacing. Mom only paces when she’s trying to think. She knows who it is and she thinks they’re dangerous.”

“Aren’t you reading a lot in there?” Stiles questioned.

Derek stared at him, eyebrows raised. “That’s my mom and my alpha. I know how to read her.”

Stiles went pale, leaning back in his seat. “What do we do?”

Derek shook his head. “We don’t do anything. We let them handle it.”

“Like hell. We can’t do nothing.”

“Why not?” Derek asked, turning to him. “In there you have the county sheriff, the local pack alpha, and a professional hunter. What do you think that we can achieve that they can’t?”

“Who’s in there is my _dad_ and your _mom_. People we care about. We can’t let them walk into danger without trying to help. I can’t...let anything happen to him.”

“Nothing’s gonna happen to him, Stiles.” It was Scott that spoke, in a voice of complete understanding that left Derek stunned. Just the night before Stiles had been determined to avoid the bad guys, but now that the situation was even worse than they thought, he wanted to do something about it. Scott put a hand on Stiles’ shoulder, gripping lightly. “He’s gonna be okay. And we will do whatever we have to to make sure that’s true.” Scott raised his eyes and looked across. “Won’t we, Derek?”

Derek had missed something, he was sure of it, but he wound up nodding. “Of course not. Everything we can.”

Stiles seemed to be fine with that answer, nodding slowly. “We just have to find out who it is. Then we can do something about it.”

“Wait - I need to know. Why the sudden need to handle this?” Derek asked Stiles. He had to ask. He couldn’t go into a situation that was, at its heart, so insanely stupid without knowing why.

“My dad,” Stiles said, simply, as though that were the answer to everything.

“Who’s the sheriff,” Derek reminded him.

“And who’s also _my dad_ and the only family I have left. I can’t… I can’t let him do this. I can’t let him go up against something like this.”

“Stiles - your dad’s job is inherently dangerous…” Derek said, trying to be sensitive about that.

“Sure - when it comes to investigating robbery and murder and kidnapping! But this is a _werewolf_. This doesn’t come in the County Sheriff’s job description! This isn’t even in the handbook! So, no - he doesn’t get to risk his life for this. Something he should never have had to handle in the first place. But the only way to stop him trying is to make sure he doesn’t have to. And _I_ am going to do that.”

Derek took a breath. He didn’t want Stiles to be involved, but he felt like he had no real choice - not now that he understood why Stiles felt he had to do something. Refusing to help Stiles here would just mean that his boyfriend would go out and involve himself anyway. There would be no stopping him. At least this way, Derek would be there and could keep him safe. ”I can find out who it is. I’ll ask my mom tonight.”

“Do that.” Stiles said with a nod, tapping the steering wheel. He looked up again. “I’ll talk to my dad too. Find out what they plan on doing.”

“And I’ll… Er - find out what you guy’s parents said,” Scott said, as he realized that he didn’t have anything else to add.

“Allison,” Stiles supplied. “We need to know what your girlfriend’s dad is doing too.” Stiles nodded slowly as the new realization set in with Scott and Scott’s eyes lit up. Stiles was right: Scott was going to be a terrible werewolf.

\-----

“Scott, you weren’t meant to bring Allison _with you_ ,” Stiles hissed as he opened his front door the next day and dragged Scott inside by his arm, leaving the girl in question standing on the porch, wondering what had just happened. Derek decided that the best thing to do was to go out, say hello and make small talk whilst the two best friends sorted that out.

“I’m sorry,” Derek heard Scott say. “She kinda cornered me last night when I was trying to find out what had gone on and she... figured it out.”

“Hi,” Derek said, giving Allison a wide, toothy smile. “How are you?”

“How does she _figure out you’re a werewolf_ , Scott!”

“I’m good,” Allison replied, oblivious to the conversation going on at the other side of the door. “So, Scott tells me that you guys know something about the attack...”

“Well, she doesn’t exactly know about me, but...”

“But what, Scott? What did you tell her?”

“We know a little. Not much,” Derek said, he could tell she was fishing, waiting for him to say something.

“That we know that things are bad!” Scott protested and Stiles made a huffing noise, knowing that Scott was lying. “And that we know about werewolves.” Derek could hear Stiles smack his hand against his forehead.

Allison arched a brow as she smiled, cheeks dimpling adorably. Derek watched, thinking to himself that that girl could not only get away with murder, but could probably get the arresting officer to help her dispose of the body. “Well, I hear from Scott that we were attacked by _werewolves_. Can you believe it?” she asked, but before Derek could answer, Stiles wrenched open the door with a manic grin on his face.

“Allison - come in, so glad to see you, I don’t know what amazing tales Scott’s been feeding you, I think he’s losing it personally. Ha ha!” he exclaimed in the worst attempt at acting Derek had ever seen.

“So you do know!” Allison said before anyone else could say anything and Derek rolled his eyes. Allison took a few steps towards Stiles, pushing him back into the house. “Tell me everything.”

Stiles flailed, falling back and shaking his head. “Nothing. Nothing,” he backpedalled.

“You’re a terrible liar, Stiles,” Allison said cheerfully, manoeuvring Stiles back into the living room and pushing him down onto the sofa. “Worse than Scott, even.” She looked around at Derek and then gestured for him to sit also. “Derek, you’re a terrible actor and your questions the other night? Really not subtle. So all of you sit down. I want to know exactly what is going on.”

Derek sat, looking at the others as they all did the same. “Maybe you should tell us what you know first,” he said tentatively and Allison's eyebrows rocketed toward her hairline as she shifted her weight onto her left foot and folded her arms across her chest.

“I don’t know anything,” she said, with an air of complete innocence that was a total and utter lie. Derek had to give her credit for bare faced cheek though, especially the way she tried to stare him down until she realised that he wasn’t giving an inch. Still, at the end of the day, she was a seventeen year old girl bluffing against someone who had gone up against far better poker faces, and little dimples only got you so far. “Fine,” she huffed, after a few minutes. She slumped down into a chair across from the boys. “Werewolves are real.”

“We know that much,” Stiles protested, gesturing with a hand, his knee starting to bounce impatiently. Derek reached around the back of Scott and put a hand on Stiles’ shoulder, not looking away from Allison as he did so.

“We know that much,” Derek confirmed, far more calmly. “How do you know?”

Allison hesitated, dropping her eyes and shifting in her seat, like she’d rather be anywhere else but here. Eventually, though, she looked back up. “My family… Are hunters.”

“You hunt werewolves,” Derek said, in the same calm, unassuming tone.

Allison’s eyes widened. “Me? No. God, no. I don’t. No. I only found out about everything not long before my mom…died. And then after that my dad decided that we had to get out, so we left. Packed up our things and got out of there. Came here. Started a new life. I haven’t seen the rest of my family since and my dad has a whole new job that doesn’t involve any of that stuff now. But - that’s why I know about werewolves. That’s what you asked.”

“Your family hunts werewolves. Your dad probably did,” Derek tried again and Allison sank more into her chair. 

“Yeah, yeah he did. They all did. I think...well I was learning some interesting hobbies and then mom died and everything fell apart. Dad’s...he’s even more tense now than he was a few days ago.” 

Derek shared a look with Scott and Stiles and nodded as Stiles took the conversation. “Your dad’s tense because it was a werewolf your family had been hunting that attacked you and Scott. Probably the same one that bit your mom,” he said, gently. Derek knew it was a gamble, betting on the fact that Allison knew the real cause of her mother’s death, but it was one that paid off. Allison’s face fell, but not in surprise. 

Allison looked down at her hands for a moment, then Derek heard her heartbeat spike and her breath hitch and her head flew up, eyes wide as she stared at Scott. “Oh my god - are you okay? Were you hurt? Did it… _bite you_?” she asked, aghast.

“He,” Derek corrected, before Scott could answer, giving the guy some much needed breathing space to decide what to do with that question. “Not it. He. His name is Deucalion. He’s the alpha in a pack made entirely of alphas. He calls himself the demon wolf.”

“A pack of alphas?” Allison said, sounding like something had finally struck a chord. “Demon wolf?” 

“Yeah, it’s something out of a horror flick,” Stiles said jumping up and pacing. Derek let him go, starting to learn that he needed to be moving after sitting still for a few minutes. 

“You didn’t know anything about this?” Derek asked Allison. 

She sunk lower in her chair again and dragged her fingers through her hair, making it poof up some. She looked far less put together than she usually did and Derek guessed she was running her hands through her hair compulsively. “Yes and no. I’ve heard mumbling. I’ve heard the term ‘demon wolf’ before. I know it makes my father anxious and it did before Mom died.” She paused for a moment, looking at them. “What are we going to do?” 

“We’re going to stop him, of course,” Stiles said, rounding on them.

“Yes, but _how_?” Allison asked.

“That…is still a work in progress,” Stiles admitted, chewing on the side of his finger.

“And it’s not just him we have to worry about. He’s the leader of a pack - which means they’ll be around somewhere as well, doesn’t it?” Scott asked.

“It does. This is bigger than we are,” Derek pointed out, unable to help himself. He didn’t want to push too hard because he knew Stiles and Scott were going to do something no matter what, but he was too prone to protect his boyfriend and little brother of sorts that he really couldn’t stop himself. 

“Stiles has part of a plan,” Scott provided happily, as if that was being helpful. Stiles gave him a look, but Allison sat up straighter. 

“What kind of plan?” she asked. 

“It’s not really all of a plan,” Stiles corrected. 

“But there’s some of a plan?” 

“I was figuring that we trap him. I’ve been reading a lot and apparently you can create a barrier that werewolves can’t cross if you burn a specific type of wood,” Stiles told them.

“Mountain ash. You need to use mountain ash,” Derek supplied, wondering how much time Stiles had actually spent researching things rather than just asking questions that Derek had known the answer to since he was a child.

“That,” Stiles agreed, pointing at Derek. “So like I said, we lure him out, we trap him and then I’m not entirely sure what we do once we have him, but that’s the part of the plan I’m still working on.” 

“Lure him out?” Allison asked. “How are you going to do that?” 

Derek watched Stiles glance at Scott whose face had fallen, but he still looked up at Stiles then they both looked at Allison. “This is the part of the plan I don’t like,” he said, bunching his hands into fists. 

“It’s not perfect yet,” Stiles insisted. “But, well…” 

Allison looked back and forth between both of them before her eyes went wide. “Me!?” 

“You should be able to just step out past the line of ash without any problems,” Stiles said, hurriedly, looking at Derek for confirmation of that.

“He’s right,” Derek said, though he didn’t sound overly happy about it. The idea of using human bait worried him even more than the idea of trying to sort this whole thing out with a bunch of people who didn’t really know what they were messing with. “Werewolves can’t pass a line of mountain ash. Even if it’s just an inch or so on the floor. If it stretches either in a closed circle, or forms a barrier - say a doorway, or a window - then they’re stuck at that side of it. You don’t have the same issues. So, as long as you don’t break the barrier of ash as you leave, he won’t be able to follow you.”

“Which is all great - but what about his pack? Unless you’re planning on trapping me in a room with a whole pack of werewolves who apparently want me dead before I get to make my escape? What if one of them decides to wait outside?”

Stiles ran his hand over the back of his neck as he shrugged his shoulders. “It’s not a full plan?” 

“It’s a terrible plan.” 

“Hey! No it’s not. I have great plans.” Scott made a noise at that and Stiles shot him a glare. “You’ve got no room to talk, yours are worse.” Stiles made a face at Scott that Derek would have laughed at if the tone of the room wasn’t so serious. “I’m working on the rest. But that’s what we’ve got so far.” 

Derek thought it over. Stiles had mentioned the whole ‘I have a plan’ thing before, but he hadn’t heard the details until now. “It’ll have to be very carefully set up,” he said, at length. “Allison will need at least two escape routes. It needs to be somewhere that it would make sense for her to be at alone. They can’t be able to see, or scent any of the rest of us. What I really don’t like about this is Allison not being able to protect herself.”

Stiles shrugged. “No one said she couldn’t be armed,” he suggested, but Scott gave him a look. “What?! She’s a hunter’s kid. There’s no way she can’t handle herself. You said that usually she’s the one-”

“Stiles!” Scott practically squeaked, obviously knowing where Stiles was going with that comment. 

“What? I’m just saying, she should be able to.”

“I’m still here,” Allison pointed out and Derek got the feeling she did that often. “And yes. Stiles is actually right, I can handle myself.” 

“Prove it,” Derek said, standing up.

“What?” Allison asked, staring up at him like he was insane.

“Prove it - show me you can handle yourself,” he challenged, placing himself in the middle of the room and gesturing for her to come at him.

Allison raised her eyebrow at him. “You’re joking? I’m not going to…” She looked at Stiles who shrugged. 

“What exactly is your boyfriend Stiles?” she asked. 

“Gorgeous?” Stiles tried, which made Derek smirk a little. 

“Come on Allison. Try me.” 

“No!” Allison proclaimed, laughing with nervous embarrassment. Derek knew that she thought he was kidding, that this was all just some kind of stupid joke, but he was absolutely serious. They needed to know how she would react in a danger situation. Glancing at Scott and hoping that he wasn’t going to completely lose it in a moment, Derek strode across the room and grabbed Allison by the neck. Catching her under the jaw, he bodily lifted her out of the chair and held her off the ground.

She gasped, struggling as he lifted her up, hands gripping at his wrist. There was a growl from another point of the room, but Derek saw Stiles move before Scott could, holding his friend back. Allison seemed to panic for all of a few seconds before her training kicked in and she kicked at Derek, landing her foot right where his leg hit his hip and he faltered giving her enough space to get her feet on the ground. Her second blow hit the pressure point on his arm which loosened his grip. 

He let her go and she fell to the floor. As she landed, she swept her leg round, clearly intending to fell Derek. He anticipated the move though and jumped, leaving Allison off balanced and sprawled across the floor. In the moment or two it took for her to re-establish herself, Derek had dropped on her, pinning her hips to the floor.

It wasn’t over though, as Allison let out a frustrated cry and brought her elbow round, catching him in the side of the face and pushing him backward. She twisted, using his own momentum and body against him and now she had the upperhand. Derek fought the push backwards, trying to keep his balance, but as Allison righted herself, she kneed him in the chest, landing him on his back with her knee still pressed against his chest. Out of nowhere she produced a knife, pressing it against his throat. Derek stilled instantly, holding his hand up in a gesture of surrender. She was breathing hard and he hadn’t even broken a sweat, but the girl still had a knife to his throat.

Allison maintained the position for a moment, then flicked the knife in her hand and stood, smiling smugly. She resheathed the knife, then offered Derek her hand, pulling him up off the floor. “Like I said - I can take care of myself,” she said.

“Whoa,” Scott said from where Stiles had a hand to his chest and was half a step from having cartoon hearts in his eyes. 

“See?” Stiles said, shoving Scott back and rolling his eyes. “She’s fine. We aren’t leaving her completely unprotected. Plus I like the idea of her with her bow too. Makes more sense right? The young, naive child hunter trying to stand up to something she doesn’t know anything about?” 

“I’m not naive!” Allison protested.

“Yes you are,” Derek said, holding up a hand again as Allison started to protest. “I get you have skills and honestly, if you were being mugged in an alley then maybe what you’ve just shown me would be enough to scare your attacker off. But you’ll be facing werewolves. You’ve already said you’ve never actually faced a werewolf before. I’m not trying to say you can’t, but that fact does make you naive and that makes it far more dangerous for you.”

Allison scowled for a moment then nodded. “Fine. I’m naive. But what does that mean otherwise? It’s not like we have a lot of choices.” 

“No, we don’t - I was just always told that your greatest enemy is overconfidence.”

“I’m not overconfident,” Allison said, putting her hands on her hips. “I like to think I’m just confident enough.” She gave him a look then sighed. “I’m in Stiles,” she said finally. 

Stiles nodded. “Good. Then we have a plan.” 

“Most of a plan,” Scott corrected. 

“The bare bones of a plan,” Derek muttered.

“It’s a start! Now we just need to…fine tune it,” Stiles protested. “First up - where the hell do we find mountain ash? Because I’ve looked it up and apparently, depending on where you are in the world, it can be one of several different type of tree and I’ve figuring that this whole thing needs to be just a little bit more specific than that.”

“We have some at home. I think,” Allison said. “My dad keeps all this stuff in our garage and I was cleaning out a while back and found some on a shelf. I doubt he even remembers we have it - it was kinda covered in dust.”

“Awesome,” Stiles said, grinning. “See? We are off to a great start. Next we need-” 

“We need to tell someone about it. Like say, our parents?” Derek suggested, cutting Stiles off mid sentence. 

“Why?” Stiles asked. “You really think they’re going to let us go through with this?” 

Derek didn’t want to admit that that was a big hope of his, but he was saved from having to say anything by Allison. “No - we can’t tell my dad. He’s freak if he knew.”

“And my dad would probably lock us up,” Stiles agreed.

Derek scowled and then grabbed Stiles lightly by the arm. “I need to talk to you, alone,” he said, half pulling, half marching him into the kitchen. “I have to tell my mom,” Derek said, as Stiles sighed in exasperation.

“Why? Why do you have to tell her? You can tell her after we’ve done this. You can call her all you like and she and the rest of your pack can come and deal with the alphas on your land. That’s the goal, right? To stop them and get rid of them? Why does she need to know?”

“Because she’s my alpha, Stiles!”

“So - you’re not _lying_ to her! You’re not going against her fricking mandate or anything! You’re just… not telling her the whole truth about everything.”

“That’s still lying!” 

“Not really,” Stiles said. “At least, that’s what I keeping telling myself.” He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Okay look. _If_ you tell her, will she let you do it? Or something close to it? Will she help in _any_ way or is she just going to tell you that she knows best and treat you like you’re sixteen again?” 

“She’d… probably let me do it,” Derek said, then sighed and reached for Stiles, pulling him in so he could hold his boyfriend as he continued, “She wouldn’t let you do it. Or Allison. Probably not Scott - he’s too raw and hasn’t learned control properly yet. She’d see him as a liability.”

Stiles rested his forehead against Derek’s shoulder, then turned his head to nuzzle into his neck in the way that Derek really liked. “If you feel you can’t not tell her, then why don’t you go now and we’ll work the rest out between us,” Stiles said, lifting his head just a little. “I don’t want to force you to have to choose between me and your alpha.”

Derek let out a slow breath. Slipping a finger under Stiles’ chin, he raised it up so they were face to face. “You,” he said, quietly. “I choose you.”

“Really?” Stiles asked, eyes searching Derek’s. 

“Really,” Derek promised.

Stiles lingered for a moment before kissing Derek quickly. “Then let’s do this.”


	13. Chapter 13

Derek stood at the top of the fire escape of the building across the street from the ruined fire station. The building had half collapsed several decades ago in an earthquake and, after it had been made safe, just left to crumble. Over the last few years the local teenagers had started to use it as a place to go when they wanted to be some kind of edgy - which made it the ‘perfect place’ for Allison to be supposedly waiting for Scott, in accordance with what everyone had decided was the worst plan in the entire word. AKA Stiles Stilinski’s Awesome Plan For Catching a Demon Wolf.

Stiles was the only person who didn’t think it was entirely stupid.

Derek wondered why the hell they were doing it anyway. Still, he’d thrown his support behind his boyfriend and he wasn’t going to back out now. They had agreed that Allison had to be alone, so she was there. Scott was driving around - if there was trouble then his part was to play the boyfriend and turn up. Derek was providing area surveillance and Stiles… Well, that was the part that Derek hated and despised the most. Stiles was going to spring the trap, poised to complete the line of mountain ash once the wolves were inside.

He checked the street again, looking up and down it and still not seeing anything. Maybe they’d luck out and this wouldn’t work. Maybe the wolves wouldn’t show up. He checked again, then went back to looking for Stiles, not spotting him either. That was good, his job was to stay out of sight, but Derek didn’t like it. He checked his phone once more, considering calling his mother to tell her where they were and what they were doing, but he held off.

He heard them before he saw them, confident wolves who obviously didn’t care that someone would hear them coming. Once he got sight of them Derek understood why. They looked intimidating even from where he stood. He’d heard the details from his mother who he’d been tapping for as much information as possible without arousing suspicion, or putting himself in a situation where he had to out and out lie to her. She had been fairly open with the details - the blind man in the middle was Deucalion, but his disability didn’t make him any less dangerous. The twins, Ethan and Aiden - apparently a literal fighting team. Ennis, who was a mountain of a man, and Kali who clearly tapped into her animal side.

Derek gripped hold of the railing from his shadowy position, holding himself in control, his fangs and claws threatening to drop. That pack was stalking toward where his boyfriend was, and all of his wolf’s instincts were screaming for him to stop that, stop it now. He took a deep breath forcing himself to keep his breathing in check and focus on listening to what they were saying, tracking their movements and mannerisms in case he needed to know them later.

“It feels like a trap,” Kali snarled, voice distorted around her fangs.

“Of course it does,” Deucalion was saying. “But she’s a child. And at worse, if their family is as ruthless as they claim to be, her father has put her up for bait, which means he’s here waiting. We can finish this in one blow and avoid a run in with Talia while we’re at it.”

“Or we could stay and take her territory for our own,” Ennis grumbled, growling until the moment that Deucalion’s walking stick slapped him hard in the chest.

“Don’t be a fool. Which is what you’re being if you think you can take the Hale territory. Talia may be a diplomat, but she backs it up with a core of steel, the backing of a strong pack, and the support of all of the surrounding alphas. If you try and take down the Hales, you will find the entire West coast will descend upon us before you even draw blood.”

“Is that fear I hear?” Ennis growled, obviously not taking well to being told what to do.

“Not fear. Intelligence. We aren’t aren’t here to take them down with just the five of us. Remember that or I will remind you.” The hulking wolf growled again, but he back down after a moment, letting Deucalion take the lead again. “Good. Now. Let’s go catch us a child.”

Derek had to let go of the railing before he bent it, not so much worried about the damage, but the noise it would make. He silently stepped back and sent a message to the others.

**They’re here.**

Waiting until the group passed out of sight, Derek dropped from level to level down the fire escape, landing softly each time and then somersaulting to the ground. He landed on one knee, his hand to the floor to balance himself. He might not be able to see the alpha pack, but he could smell them and he had ensured he was downwind of them. The plan might have been for him to stay back, but he couldn’t leave Stiles and Allison there alone.

“Lost little one?” Derek heard Deucalion ask Allison over the steady tap of his walking stick. They weren’t close enough yet, at least it felt like that. There was no real way to be sure because he couldn’t see them, but no one else was moving yet.

“I’m waiting for my boyfriend,” Allison said. Derek was impressed with her acting skills. Her heartrate spiked, but that could have been put down to suddenly being faced with five very intimidating strangers.

“Strange place for a date,” Kali said as Derek rounded a corner and nearly walked straight into Stiles, who took a couple of steps back and would have fallen over his own feet if Derek hadn’t caught him. Stiles gestured at him, angrily, for once making himself quite clear and plain in absolute silence. Derek raised his eyebrows in retort as Stiles pulled away, indicating that there was a plan and Stiles was sticking to it and Derek shouldn’t be here and he’d managed to scare the hell out of Stiles and it could all have gone wrong if Derek had made Stiles drop the one container of mountain ash they had and what the hell was Derek thinking.

It was almost endearing that Stiles was so incredibly, stupidly brave.

“Well, it was here or sneaking out into the woods,” Allison said. Derek stepped out of Stiles’ way, who mouthed an over exaggerated ‘thank you’.

“Does daddy not approve?” Deucalion asked, voice oozing with confidence.

“My father doesn’t approve of much,” Allison said and Derek was impressed by the slight waver in her tone that he really hoped was just an act. She definitely sounded far more like a scared teenage girl than usual.

“That probably makes him a smart man,” Deucalion chuckled. 

Stiles peeked around the corner and Derek watched him take a deep breath before glancing back at Derek. ‘Now or never’ was written across his expression before he stepped out of his hiding place to finish the mountain ash circle and Derek felt his heart leap into his throat. 

Stiles was about halfway done when it all went to hell. Derek heard the moment it did. As Kali heard Stiles’ increased heartbeat and alerted the pack. “Run Allison,” Derek hollered as he fought the instinct to get between Stiles and the pack that was coming for them. He couldn’t, if he did, he would be trapped inside the mountain ash.

He could hear Allison moving, struggling as the werewolves caught up and attempted to man their attack. Derek was pushing forward to Stiles though, trying not to focus on the way Kali was staring him down. “Finish the circle Stiles!” 

“Nearly there,” Stiles said as Kali leaped. Stiles completed the circle just after she crossed it.  
Derek pushed Stiles away, sending his boyfriend flying back. He heard the hard landing, but couldn’t worry about it as Kali hit him full force, snarling and going in for the kill.

Derek was sent backwards, not at all where he wanted to be, just barely getting an arm up in time to get her teeth in his forearm instead of his neck. He howled with pain, but pushed back enough on her face to get some semblance of space between them. He shifted, growling with fangs and claws as he jabbed a knee into her, trying to free himself. 

Kali shifted enough that Derek could twist, flinging her off and going after her before she could get round him to Stiles. She met him full on. Derek was outmatched and he knew it. He didn’t let that stop him for a second and he had one huge advantage. He was fighting to protect someone he loved.

Derek blocked out everything but Kali’s attack. He let the frantic sound of Stiles’ heartbeat and yelling fade away. He ignored the screeching car wheels as Scott arrived. He focused on Kali and only her, knowing that he had to take her down even if she took him with her. 

For a second he thought he had the upper hand as he raked a claw across Kali’s chest, ripping her open. He snarled in triumph, closing in for the kill, extending himself past his usual boundaries.

Kali grabbed him by the throat as he closed, her claws closing in on his jugular. He heard Stiles scream as Derek looked into Kali’s glowing red eyes. She grinned in triumph, then Scott barrelled into her at full force.

The three of them rolled onto the ground, a pack of snarling and claws, the scent of blood strong and mixed between them. Kali managed to get her hand on Scott, flinging him away with ease before turning back on Derek again. He was bleeding, not ready for her to launch at him, catching him hard with a swipe of her own claws. He just barely heard the soft thwap of the arrow landing in her shoulder, but it was enough to make her growl and look back where it came from. The next arrow sank into her throat just inches from Derek. 

Kali collapsed, hands at her throat. She tried to get words out, but instead there was just blood as she breathed her last.

Derek looked round to see Allison, standing outside the circle, out of reach of the snarling alphas inside. She was holding her compound bow, her eyes wide.

If he’d ever doubted that Allison wasn’t a hunter, he couldn’t now. She had the skills, but that look in her eyes said she’d never taken any sort of life before. Sirens were wailing in the distance, the alpha pack snarling. “Scott,” Derek turned to see the younger wolf getting to his feet, shaking off the worst of his injuries. That was relief enough and Derek’s knees gave out from under him just as Stiles appeared under his arm, holding him up.

“You need to get out of here,” Stiles said. “Scott, Allison, take Derek.”

“I’m not leaving without you,” Derek protested as Stiles handed him off to Allison, but he wasn’t strong enough to do much more than that.

“Yes you are,” Stiles said, herding them toward the exit. “I’m going to stay here, deal with the cops. Make sure nobody does anything like try and cross that line. Then my dad’ll be here and he can deal with it.”

“Stiles,” Derek tried to protest again, reaching out a hand for the younger man, but Stiles just moved closer and smiled at him.

“It’s going to be fine. Scott, call Talia,” he added to his friend before he pressed a quick kiss to Derek’s forehead. “Go.” 

“I love you!” Derek called out to him, even as Scott and Allison dragged him away into Allison’s waiting car. Derek slumped back against the seat as they drove off, moments before the police arrived, wondering what his stupid, brave, magnificent boyfriend would have said, if he’d been able to stick around for the reply.


	14. Chapter 14

“Do you want to tell me just what the hell you were thinking?” 

Derek winced, self consciously pushing at a still-healing bruise on his cheek. Really, he knew his mother had shown restraint by not yelling at him immediately after she returned home. She’d waited until he was feeling better, mostly recovered from the alpha’s attack. Of course that also could have been a result of her having to deal with Deucalion and what was left of his pack while the Sheriff tried to sort out the paperwork. He’d heard her update his father in the early hours of the morning. She’d dispensed of their troubles, drawn the Argents under her cloud of protection provided they didn’t go back to their hunting ways, and the pack was safe. Now that the pack was safe though, she was free to yell at her son. “We just wanted-” 

“You didn’t want anything. You weren’t thinking. If you were thinking you wouldn’t have risked a bunch of _children_ to take out a pack of wolves that were too much for you. You wouldn’t have been so stupid. You would have told me what you were planning.” 

“They’re not children,” Derek told her.

“Well, they’re certainly not adults either! I raised you better than this, Derek! Wanting to impress your new boyfriend and his friends is one thing, but this was stupid and dangerous and you could have got yourself and all of them killed! For absolutely no reason! For heaven’s sake, Derek - you were never my most sensible child, but this is a new one, even for you!”

She was right, he was far from the most sensible of her children considering his older sister was pure alpha material, but it hurt when she threw it at him like that. Like she’d accepted that he was never going to amount to much. “I wasn’t trying to impress Stiles. He and the others - they wanted to help. They would have done something no matter what. I couldn’t let them do it alone!” 

Talia stilled, raising a brow and leaning forward, her eyes narrowing a little. “They would have done something anyway?” she asked, assessingly, but she continued before Derek could answer her. Dread formed in his stomach though - he knew that tone. It never brought anything good. She’d first used that tone on him when he was four years old and had been caught out in a lie, trying to convince her that he hadn’t been wolfed out and playing in the woods during the full moon, rather than tucked up in bed, practicing sleeping in full human form the way he’d been taught. The wolf had always come so easily to him, he’d found it hard to resist the pull of the shift when he had been younger. “Whose idea was this, Derek?”

“Mine,” Derek tried, but he knew he was a terrible liar and even worse to his mother. She was nearly impossible to lie to. “My idea.” 

“Derek.” 

“Mom, it’s not what you think. It’s just...” 

“Derek. Whose idea was it?” 

Derek couldn’t look at her. He wound up chewing on his lower lip, looking down at the kitchen table and the small marks Scott’s claws had left a few days before. He could feel his mother staring at him, but he tried not to crumble.

Talia sighed and slumped a little in her seat. “I should have known,” she said under her breath. She reached out and covered Derek’s hand with hers. “I love you Derek. You’re brave and loyal and loving. But you’ve never been a leader.” Derek tensed until she squeezed his hand. “That’s not a bad thing. You know how pack dynamics work. You’re my beta and that is _so_ important. You’re a perfect beta - just what every alpha wants. Which is why... this was so out of character for you, my darling. You did this for him, didn’t you? You did this for Stiles.”

Derek still couldn’t make eye contact. She knew him so well. It made sense that she would being his mother and his alpha, but sometimes it struck home hard how well she knew him. “He would have done it alone,” he finally admitted. “I couldn’t let him do that.” 

“No,” Talia agreed. “You couldn’t. It would have been suicide for Stiles to try and face down even one werewolf on his own, never mind Duke’s pack. That didn’t preclude you telling me. All those questions you asked me, Derek. You knew that I was looking into the situation. You knew that I was working with Stiles’ father and Chris Argent to deal with this matter.”

Derek didn’t say anything for a long moment. He wasn’t sure how to explain what he was feeling to his mother and he wasn’t sure she’d understand. “Mom, I...” he started then trailed off, thinking again. Talia was patient though, letting him sort out what he was feeling before she pushed him for an answer. “I’d follow him to the end of the earth,” he finally settled on. “Especially if he needs me to protect him.” 

“Which can be done from within the pack, Derek,” Talia pushed.

Derek hesitated, not looking her in the eye, keeping his gaze down mostly out of respect because he knew what he was going to say was the opposite. “Can it? He’s not pack. He’s human and he’s got a strong will that doesn’t fit the mould of a beta.” 

“He’s human - we can’t expect him to fit the mould of any wolf. That’s not how they work,” Talia pointed out. “That doesn’t mean that he can’t be pack. You know that. He clearly means a lot to you, so if you would like me to, I’ll offer him the bite and even if he won’t take it, I’m more than willing to make him a pack member. It wouldn’t be the first time that we’ve welcomed a human. His father too, if that’s what is wanted.” Derek could hear the note of pleasure in her voice and knew that there was politics in that. The County Sheriff as a Hale pack member would be a real coup.

“Stiles won’t take it,” Derek said. “We talked about it. He doesn’t want it. He doesn’t want to change.” He looked up at his mother, wishing he could tell her more, but not sure if he should. She might not take well to his decision to pick Stiles over pack, no matter what. Beyond being his alpha, she was his mother and the suggestion alone was leaping out of the nest. 

“And we’ll respect that,” Talia confirmed. She turned serious for a moment, pausing before saying, “Derek, you’ve not known this boy for very long. I’ve told you before, I like him, but… do you think maybe you’re rushing this? You’ve already talked to him about whether he’d want the bite, which I assume means that you’ve already discussed bringing him into the pack. I’m not saying that I wouldn’t want him, I really would, but… You know that’s not a casual offer. It’s a serious commitment. If he joins the pack then he’s in - regardless of whether your relationship lasts. It’s asking everyone to commit to your boyfriend, and asking your boyfriend to commit to everyone. Are you sure that’s what you want?”

Derek’s mind fought hard with his heart at her question. He’d asked himself the same question for the past few weeks, not sure how to answer it. His mind agreed with her, it was too fast, too much, and he wasn’t sure if it would last, but his heart said something else entirely. He _loved_ Stiles. He knew it. Nothing else made sense like that did, but when did he ever make the right choices? “I’m not sure.”

Talia squeezed his hand again. “Talk to me, sweetheart. Tell me what you’re thinking. Maybe I can help. Or at least provide a sounding board.” 

Derek finally raised his eyes to hers. “I’m thinking everything at once. I’m thinking I can’t see him not being pack, but logically I can see how he wouldn’t be our pack, but he’s _my_ pack.”

He cringed as he watched his mother’s face turn sympathetic. “Sweetheart - you’re a beta. You’re never going to have your own pack. I know Stiles means a lot to you, but…”

“But he could have his,” Derek interrupted before she could say something else. “If you gave him the bite, he’d be a terrible beta. You’ve met him. He all but has his own pack now.”

“He’s not a werewolf, Derek and you told me he doesn’t want the bite,” Talia said and for the first time since they’d started talking she sounded nervous.

“No, he’s not and he doesn’t - but he has the best instincts of any non wolf I’ve ever met. He has far better instincts than Scott.” Derek said and he watched his mother tense, knowing what she was thinking. Scott had innately good instincts for such a young, bitten wolf, and to say Stiles was better meant quite a bit. 

“What are you trying to tell me Derek?” 

“I love him.”

“That has nothing to do with pack, Derek.”

“That can’t be true,” Derek insisted. “It has everything to do with pack.” 

“You are far from the first member of this pack to fall in love, Derek.”

“Then why does it feel like it? Or am I just the first member to fall in love with someone who doesn’t fit into the pack structure?” 

“Derek - everyone who falls in love thinks that their love is different. Special. Like the rules don’t apply to them.”

Derek had to fight the petulant urge to get up from the table while demanding that his mother wouldn’t understand because he imagined it would just play into her point. “Are you trying to tell me I’m not in love or it doesn’t matter?” 

“I’m trying to tell you that falling in love is no reason to act like you’re about to abandon your pack!” Talia exclaimed.

Derek was quiet for a long moment before looking up at her. “I can’t think of a better reason.”

Talia’s jaw dropped as she brought a hand up to cover her mouth. He had never seen his mother turn so pale. “Derek,” she said, weakly, clutching at his hand.

“Mom,” he said softly. “I’m not...I don’t know.” He squeezed her hand back, trying to be reassuring. 

“I don’t want to lose you, sweetheart,” Talia said, and Derek felt like his heart was breaking along with hers. “Surely Stiles wouldn’t want that for you either? Would he?”

“No. He hasn’t asked for anything. I just know Mom. I know that if I had to choose, what I’d choose,” Derek explained, trying to keep his voice steady. 

“Derek, please - you don’t have to _choose_. Where’s this even coming from? You can have both - you can have it all.” She sounded desperate and it shocked Derek to the core. He had always knew that his mother loved him, but he’d considered himself just another pack member. He wasn’t special, like Laura. He wasn’t the baby, like Cora. He was just a son, just a beta. Now she was acting like her world would fall apart if he wasn’t standing by her side.

“I want both, but he’ll challenge you. He won’t fall into order. He’s going to make up his own schemes and plans no matter how ridiculous or stupid they are if he think they’re the right thing to do, he’s going to do it. Can I really have both?” Derek was suddenly worried her answer wouldn’t be yes. 

“I can work with Stiles. This whole episode? We had the same goals. If he had just come to me - then maybe we could have worked it out. He just needs to learn to trust me.”

“You would have benched him and made him wait here. He's too brave to sit something out when others are in trouble.” 

“Maybe I need to learn to trust him too,” Talia suggested. “Sweetheart - if this is the guy for you, if this is the one, I will do everything in my power to help you be happy.” 

Derek sighed and nodded. “I think he is. I'm not a kid anymore and I've never felt like this before.” 

“He’s lucky to have you, you know,” his mom told him, smiling. “I hope he appreciates that.”

“I think he does,” Derek said, though there was the part where he still wasn’t sure what Stiles’ reaction was to what he’d said. The younger man had reached out, checking in on him, but hadn’t actually said anything about it. 

Talia nodded. “I’d like him to come to dinner - at least once a week. Maybe Thursday nights? More often, if you’d like and you think he’d go for it. Plus of course he’s got an open invite to all of the summer gatherings.” Which, Derek knew, was as good as saying that Stiles’ attendance was mandatory. Derek wanted to argue that Stiles might not want to spend every Thursday at dinner at their house, but he wound up nodding. 

“I’ll ask him if that works for him.”

There was a moment when Derek thought that his mother was going to argue with him about the fact that he had only agreed to talk to Stiles about it, rather than immediately guaranteeing he would be there the way a good, obedient beta would do. Instead, she just nodded and stood, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You’re my son, Derek. First and foremost. I want what every mother wants for her son. And for her son-in-law. I want you to be happy. I will do whatever I can to help that happen. Don’t shut me out.”

Derek nodded, resting his hand on hers for a moment. “I know Mom. Thank you,” he said as he looked up at her, smiling down at him.

“I like him, Derek. I know you think that I just wanted a Stilinski to get the sheriff onside and I won’t lie to you - having that connection is _great_ for the pack. But I would have liked Stiles if he’d just been the pizza delivery boy. I’ve never seen you like this about anyone and he is _exactly_ the type of person I always dreamed of for my little boy. He’s good for you, sweetheart - and I say that as a mother _and_ an alpha.” She paused and tightened her grip on his shoulder, her eyes turning sad. “And if, at the end of the day, your relationship with him means that you can’t look to me as your alpha anymore? I want you to know that I will _never_ stop being your mother and this pack will _never_ stop being your family. You will always have a place here. No matter what. Because we love you, Derek, and nothing will ever change that.”

Derek’s heart swelled at that and he got up, wrapping his arms around his mother’s shoulders, holding on to her tight. He’d always known his family loved him, but given the structure, his place among his siblings, he’d never thought of himself as important to her. It was a wonderful thing to feel. She tightened her grip around his waist, nose pressed against his hair breathing him in a way that was so familiar it hurt. “Love you mom,” he murmured.

“Love you too, pup. Always,” she replied. “My brave, brave, boy. I am so proud of you.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The contents of this chapter probably aren't quite enough to push up the rating, but maybe borderline at times.

Derek had left the house immediately after the almost tearful conversation with his mother, too full of emotion to be surrounded by pack. He had somewhere else he had to be anyway. After everything he’d said, he knew where his emotions lay and where he wanted to be in that moment. It was how he ended up on Stiles' doorstep, pressing the doorbell. It was a relief the cruiser wasn’t in the drive because dealing with the Sheriff in that moment wasn’t something he was ready for. 

He wasn’t ready for the sight of Stiles opening the door either, his hair a perfect mop of bedhead, half in his eyes, half sticking up in multiple directions. The oversized t-shirt and pajama pants should have looked ridiculous, but instead were incredibly adorable. Almost as much as the way his face lit up, despite looking exhausted, at the sight of Derek. “You...don’t look like you were bleeding all over the place last night at all,” he greeted, opening the door for Derek to come inside. 

Derek took two steps inside the door and pulled Stiles into his arms, burying his face into the crook of Stiles’ neck and inhaling deeply. Stiles seemed shocked for a moment, then melted into the embrace, his arms slipping around Derek’s back and a hand sliding up into his hair. “Hey Der, it’s okay - I’m okay and apparently you’re okay as well.”

Derek sighed against him, pulling in another long breath before leaning back. “I am. Healing up nicely.” There were a couple of sore places, downfall of tangling with an alpha, but he was almost healed. 

Stiles took his face in his hands, watching his eyes closely. “Good. I’m so sorry Derek. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt.” 

“I’m fine - I heal quickly. I would have been all better before I even left that building if she had been anything else but an alpha. As it was, it’ll take a little longer, but I won’t even scar. Not like you would have. Anything that happened to me was more than worth it if it stopped her getting anywhere near you.”

Stiles blushed slightly and nodded. ”I’m apologizing anyway. I spent six hours in an interrogation room waiting to be questioned and wound up getting a lecture from my dad about putting your life at risk and I have undying urge to apologize profusely. I don’t care if you would have been fine, I shouldn’t have taken the risk.” 

“I took the risk, Stiles,” Derek said, softly, leading him into the living room to sit on the couch. “I could have said no.”

“You tried to say no. You tried to say that we should leave it to your mom,” Stiles pointed out, swinging his leg over to sit straddling Derek’s lap, a move Derek had no problems with. He wasn’t willing to let Stiles go in the slightest right now and he was so glad that his boyfriend understood that without him having to vocalize it.

“You were determined to have a hand in it,” Derek reminded him, settling his hands on Stiles’ hips. “I wasn’t going to let you go into it alone. And you would have hated her putting you on the sidelines if you had gone to her.” 

“Is that what she would have done?” Stiles asked. He quirked a smile when Derek nodded. “You talked to her about this, didn’t you?”

“Afterward,” Derek promised. “I kinda had to - she was busy ripping me a new one for being a total fool. The whole ‘what were you thinking, you could have got everyone killed’ speech.”

Stiles stared. “You let her think this was your idea?” he asked, aghast. Shaking his head, he started to climb off Derek’s lap, saying, “I can’t let her think that! She’s your alpha - if she thinks that you planned this, you could get in serious trouble. I have to tell her this is totally on me!” 

Derek grabbed hold of his hips to keep him firmly in place.

Stiles went silent, clearly impacted by Derek’s strength, waiting to see what came next. “I talked to her already. She knows it was your idea. That I did it for you.” That was enough for Stiles to settle back down and Derek eased his grip. 

“What did she say?” 

Derek’s lips twitched a smile. “She said she’d like to see you for dinner every Thursday and at pack meets over summer,” he said, sounding slightly amused, but also a little nervous about giving Stiles what amounted to a timetable for his family. “Your dad has an open invite to any of that too, if he wants.”

Stiles raised an eyebrow at that. “Every Thursday and pack meetings? What exactly did you tell her?”

 _That you’re it for me,_ Derek thought, his expression softening as he looked up at Stiles. He stopped himself from actually saying that though. It felt like too much, too soon. “How I feel about you,” he hedged. “That you’re pack to me. That you’re not the kind of person that would take kindly to being benched when things are going on. She said that it would help if you guys got to know each other, so that you can trust the calls she makes and so that she can learn to trust the decisions you make.” Because Derek didn’t think for a moment that Stiles would roll over and just take Talia’s directives. If he didn’t like what she had to say, he would simply ignore it and go with his plans anyhow.

Stiles looked like he appreciated that, nodding as Derek spoke. “I think I can do Thursdays until I head to college in the fall,” he agreed before wrapping his arms around Derek’s neck. “So that thing you said, the one you were yelling and I might have blamed on significant blood loss, did you tell her that?”

Derek looked at Stiles blankly, waiting for the moment that his boyfriend began to twitch nervously. Then he broke out into a wide smile. “That I love you? Yeah, I told her that.”

Stiles brushed his hand over his cheek as he started to go red, smile slipping onto his features. “So that wasn’t blood loss and adrenaline?” 

“Did you really think it was?” Derek asked, cupping Stiles’ jaw and stroking a thumb over his cheek.

Stiles shook his head slowly, just enough to get the motion, but not move away from Derek’s touch. “No. I looked even more guilty when the cops showed up because I was blushing and stammering.” 

“You blushed and stammered at the cops?” Derek asked. “What did they think of that then?”

“Well, most of them have known me since I was a kid, so they’re kinda used to me by now?” Stiles told him, to Derek’s confusion. “I’m the odd one that never quite says or does what people are expecting. Though, being found with a dead body and a group of people who couldn’t leave a circle of ash was a new one for even me... I still don’t really know what my dad said to explain away that one.”

“I’m sure my mother helped,” Derek said with a nod. 

“Probably. But he made me suffer for it. All night at the station locked in one room. The man has torture skills.” 

“Looks like you managed to survive,” Derek pointed out, teasingly. “Or are there hidden wounds I just can’t see right now?”

Stiles laughed and shook his head. “No bruises. Just exhausted. Mental torture you know?” He threaded his fingers through Derek’s hair, unusually quiet for a long moment. “Do you really? Love me?”

Derek tilted his head leaning into Stiles’ touch and at the same time assessing that look on his face, trying to figure out what was behind it. “I know it’s fast,” he said, his tone soft, yet unapologetic. He knew how he felt and he wasn’t going to take it back. “I’m not expecting you to feel the same way so soon. I’m never going to push you to do or say anything you’re not ready for. But yes, I love you. So much. You’re... God, Stiles, you don’t even know.” Derek struggled to find words he wasn’t great with at the best of times and to try and put everything he felt for Stiles out there, he just knew he would fall short if he tried.

Stiles stayed quiet, but after a moment started to smile, biting at his lip to keep it contained. “You don’t even know. And I so don’t care if it’s fast. I feel the same way.” He pressed his nose against Derek’s for a moment before kissing him. 

Derek lost himself in the kiss for a moment, before Stiles’ words actually hit home and he dragged his lips backwards, shaking his head to clear it as he stared at Stiles, green eyes wide. “Really?” he asked and now it was his turn to sound like he couldn’t quite believe it as his heart sang and he could feel his blood thrumming in his veins.

Stiles laughed like he couldn’t help it, nodding emphatically. “Yes, you giant idiot. Of course I do. You actually leapt into danger to protect me. You’re gorgeous and smart and _perfect_. It’s impossible not to fall in love with you.” 

“I’m not perfect.”

“Perfect for _me_ then, if you want to be like that.”

Derek smiled and nodded. “I feel the same way about you. Perfect for me.” He wrapped his arms around Stiles’ waist and pulled him closer. 

“Glad that’s settled then.” Stiles smirked and draped his arms around Derek’s shoulders. “So Thursday dinners with your parents and every pack event this summer? They’re keeping a close eye on us.” 

Derek chuckled, dropping his face to hide the smile, then looking back up at Stiles through his long lashes. “Not so much. I mean, sure, that’ll be a side effect, but… My mom is kinda desperate to keep you.”

“To ‘keep me’?” Stiles asked, his brows shooting toward his forehead and Derek jumped in quickly to head off the building rambling protest he could see coming.

“In the pack!” he said, hurriedly. “Maybe it would be more accurate to say that she’s desperate to keep _me_ ,” he amended, to Stiles’ obvious conclusion.

“Why would you be going anywhere?” he asked.

“Well, if you weren’t interested in the pack and didn’t want to be part of it…” Derek hoped Stiles would get it and he wouldn’t have to outright say it himself. It was a lot more than telling Stiles that he loved him and it might not go over as well as that did. For a moment, he thought that his worst fears were confirmed as Stiles stilled in his lap, his heart suddenly beating faster.

“Derek - what the hell? They’re _your family_!” he proclaimed.

“And they’ll always _be_ my family,” Derek countered. “Yes, they’re my family, but they’re also my pack. Family - family is about love and a mutual bond. Pack… Pack’s about loyalty and - and I already said - I choose you. If it comes down to it, if you can’t or don’t want to go with pack decisions, then I stand with you.”

Stiles looked like he was gearing up for another rant, but then his shoulders slumped like he was letting it go. “Like you did with this whole thing, you stuck with me because you knew they’d tell me not to do it?” Derek nodded slowly and Stiles touched his cheek. “I wouldn’t ask you to do that.” 

“You wouldn’t have to.” 

“So, you’d just, what… automatically just know what I want and just do it?” 

Derek rolled his eyes. “No. Not always. I’m not a mind reader. I’m pretty good at body language and I’m getting to know you and how you react to things.”

“But, but, but - what if you want something else?” Stiles protested.

“Then I tell you,” Derek pointed out, calmly.

“But - if I say no, then you’d cave? You thought my plan was a really bad idea, but you did it anyway and you got really, really hurt!”

The answer to that was probably yes, if Stiles was stubborn enough, but Derek didn’t say that. “We’ll talk about it. Your plan was really bad idea but it was an even worse one without me in it. We might fight about it, but we’ll figure it out.” 

“But - if I work things out with your mom and agree to go with what she wants, then we wouldn’t have to fight at all, right?” Stiles checked in a hopeful way that just made Derek laugh.

“Sure,” he said, amused. “That’s kinda my mom’s idea. She wants to sweet talk you enough that you’ll look to her for plans and fall in line. Which I’ve already kinda told her I doubt you’ll ever do, because you’re you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Stiles asked, batting Derek lightly on the chest in protest. 

“It means you’re your own guy and if you’d been born a wolf, you’d be an alpha. Same as you would if you ever decided you wanted the bite. You’re so not a beta.”

“I don’t want the bite,” Stiles said, but it wasn’t harsh. “But you so are a beta aren’t you?” he teased, his eyes going a little wicked with it. 

“I am,” Derek agreed, giving Stiles a curious look that was mostly in his eyebrows. “Do I want to know what you’re thinking?” 

Stiles tilted his head back and forth as if considering that then nodded. “Probably.” 

“Are you going to tell me?” Derek asked, his smile growing. He hoped so, he wanted to know exactly what caused that expression on his boyfriend’s face.

Stiles grinned and shifted his hips in Derek’s lap just so and it was enough to get a gasp out of Derek as his hands tightened his grip on the younger man. “It means I’m in charge doesn’t it?” Stiles teased lightly, but his tone was obviously that of being overwhelmingly pleased at being superior as Derek slumped back against the couch, rocking up a little in a way that got a groan out of Stiles.

“If that’s the way you want it,” Derek confirmed, looking up at him with darkening eyes. There was no way that Stiles would be able to mistake that Derek wasn’t at all averse to the suggestion.

Stiles’ own eyes were dark with what he was thinking, his cheeks starting to pink again. “I like the idea. But it does seem like a waste of your super strength to not, you know, let you use it here and there.” 

Grabbing hold of Stiles’ hips, Derek pulled his boyfriend flush against him as he stood up in one smooth motion. The boys kissed deeply as Stiles wrapped his long legs around Derek’s torso, gripping his hair tightly. When they finally broke the kiss, they were both breathing heavily. “I can do that,” Derek said, stating the obvious. “If that’s what you want,” he added, with a grin.

Stiles laughed darkly and nodded. “Yes. God yes all of that. Again and again. Only less on the couch. More upstairs.” 

“As you wish,” Derek intoned with a grin as he carried Stiles toward the stairs.

“God - you are such a dork,” Stiles laughed, throwing his head back, extending that long, pale stretch of neck. 

Derek growled. “You love it,” he said, his voice far deeper than normal. He leaned in enough to mouth at Stiles’ neck with got a soft groan out of the other man. 

“Yeah, I guess I do love it,” Stiles admitted. “And the growling. Love the growling.”

Derek ran blunt teeth down the column of his boyfriend’s neck. “Growling, check, got it.”

“And that, yeah. That.”

“Okay. You making a list?” Derek asked.

“So what if I am? I’m in charge remember?” Stiles’ voice was breathy, but still had that _tone_ of authority that Derek was starting to realize that he loved.

“So bossy,” he teased instead, maneuvering the stairs even if he had to pull back a little to keep from toppling up them.

They worked their way into Stiles’ room, though it was slow going as they kept stopping to kiss, often with Derek slamming Stiles up against the wall, much to Stiles’ very vocal pleasure. Finally, though, they made it and Derek dumped Stiles on the bed.

It shouldn’t have been that exciting, Stiles in his pajama pants and oversized t-shirt bouncing slightly as he landed on the bed in his high school room, but there was something about _him_ that pushed all of Derek’s buttons. Even more so when Stiles hooked his fingers in Derek’s shirt and pulled, dragging the wolf down over him. Derek crawled onto the bed, pushing Stiles backward as he all but stalked over him. His hands at either side of Stiles’ head, Derek straddled his hips as he glared down at his boyfriend, drinking him in, watching the way his pupils dilated and the heady scent of intense arousal.

Stiles’ hand was on his shirt again, pulling enough to stretch it out. “Will you stop staring at me and do something?” he demanded, eagerness in his voice that Derek realized he loved hearing. He had to wonder what Stiles could be like, needy and demanding, but without the proper control of the situation. Maybe this was where the tables flipped between them. Derek pulled back enough that he could grab his shirt, hauling it up over his head and throwing it behind them, abandoned on the floor somewhere as he gathered Stiles up into his arms, rolling their bodies together and pressing his hips down into the bed. If Stiles wanted him to be physically dominating, then that was exactly what he was going to get.

Stiles’ eyes went wide before closing with a low groan. He melted against Derek, his short nails digging into Derek’s shoulder. “That, that’s on the list,” he managed, breath already coming in gasps. 

Derek rolled them, holding onto Stiles as he turned them, moving so that Stiles ended up straddling him and Derek had clear access to remove his boyfriend’s shirt. It joined his on the floor as Derek ran his hands almost reverently over Stiles’ torso. The flush in Stiles’ cheeks spread to his chest, and for a moment he seemed far less in control. Derek was constantly amazed at what hid under the oversized clothes, the lean muscle and sharp angles that explained how the younger man moved. He was stunning and he had no idea. Derek surged up, having to touch. Needing to kiss. Needing to feel skin against skin and prove with all of his being that Stiles was wanted, loved, gorgeous and desirable, and that being here, like this, made Derek feel like the luckiest man alive. Even more so as Stiles gasped into the kiss, responding with the same passion and intensity, matching him every step of the way.

Derek twisted his fingers in Stiles’ already messy hair, already realizing that he wanted it messy because of him and not just sleep. The kiss drew out until Stiles rolled his hips down onto Derek’s and he had to break off the kiss with a low groan that was almost a growl. He felt Stiles’ hands slip between them, fumbling at his jeans to get them undone. 

Once Stiles long and nimble fingers had worked his jeans open, Derek slipped an arm down and round Stiles’ waist. Lifting him up with one arm like he was nothing, Derek used the other to push his jeans down to the floor. Stiles groaned helplessly. “Fuck, but that’s hot,” he breathed.

“That going on the list?” Derek asked in amusement, though his voice was heavy with want. Want to see, to touch, to be touched.

“All of it,” Stiles agreed in awe as he looked down the length of Derek’s body, then back up to his eyes. “Everything you do.”

Derek grinned and pushed at Stiles’ shoulder to roll them over again and pull at his pajama pants. “Good,” he said, finally getting his mouth across the bare, pale skin of Stiles’ chest and collarbones. Stiles ran his hand through Derek’s hair to keep him there, but Derek kept moving down, taking in all of his skin. He paused, resting his chin on Stiles’ navel, and looked up at Stiles. The younger man was breathing heavily, almost panting already. Stiles crooked his head up and Derek decided there and then that he had a new favorite look on Stiles. Hair all askew, whiskey eyes blown dark, those perfect, Cupid’s bow lips spitlicked and shiny in the light.

“What? You stopped,” Stiles said, sounding a tiny bit frantic, but trying for calm. 

“I was just looking at you,” Derek said with a grin that made Stiles groan and let his head fall back against the bed. 

“Will you stop looking and do something? You can look when I’m not suffering.” 

“You’re suffering?” Derek teased, with mock horror. “Then, I should really stop. I wouldn’t want...”

“God, Derek, please!” Stiles demanded, bucking his hips up. Derek couldn’t hold off anymore and he lowered his head, revelling in the long moan that he got in response.

“This is on the list,” Stiles mumbled, hips still shifting up until Derek changed his own position to hold them still against the bed. That got a surprised gasp out of the younger man who struggled against the grip as if testing it. When he couldn’t get loose, Stiles seems to melt more and Derek made a mental note of that. 

He paid attention to every gasp, every groan, especially to the little whimpers, repeating moves that Stiles appeared to really like until his boyfriend was a mewling mess, only still because Derek was holding him firmly in position.

“Derek,” Stiles was tugging at his hair urgently, his voice raspy almost from the other noises he’d been making. “God Der...I’m...” Derek knew what Stiles was trying to say, but he didn’t get a chance to finish it before he was crying out, back arching, one hand fisting hard in Derek’s hair while the other gripped the sheets beneath him.

Derek nursed him through it all, not stopping at all until Stiles collapsed back against the bed. In that moment, Derek surged up his body, kissing him intently and rolling down against him.

Stiles groaned under him and into the kiss and dug his fingers into Derek’s shoulders. It was a shame whatever marks he might leave would be healed by morning at the latest, because the idea of being marked by Stiles was an overwhelmingly exciting one. Marked by the person he’d follow to the end of the earth as his. It didn’t get better than that. 

Derek rolled his hips again, needing the friction himself, leaving a still sensitive Stiles gasping again as he reached between them. “You can’t... here, let me.” The same fingers that had made quick work of his jeans curled around Derek, stroking once, then again. The noise that slipped out of Derek was animalistic and if he hadn’t been so damn caught up in the moment he might have been embarrassed at how such a simple touch, something he could very well do himself, did so much to him. It didn’t take much more - also something that he would be embarrassed about later - then he collapsed down on the bed, pulling his boyfriend into his arms and showering him with butterfly kisses and nosing at his skin.

Stiles laughed and Derek doubted it had ever sounded so clear and beautiful as it did right now. Nothing was so right about the world as it was in this very moment.


	16. Epilogue

There was a small crowd lingering around Jeep as Stiles loaded the last of his things into the back of it. It wasn’t like he was going _that_ far away. Just a couple hours up the road to a state school, mostly on scholarship and with a pretty impressive program waiting for him. And it wasn’t like they hadn’t just done this exact same thing twice, once when Lydia and Jackson left for the east coast, her with some fancy scholarship and acceptance to a great college and Jackson with a lacrosse scholarship at the school near hers and again when Allison tearfully packed her things for her school in southern California. Scott was staying at home, whining about being left behind, but he was enrolled in veterinary classes in the local community college, which meant he kept his part-time job slash internship at the clinic and could stay close to the Hale pack which had quickly become his own. Stiles noticed the way that Talia looked at him warily, almost as much as she looked at Stiles, as if he was something she didn’t expect and didn’t factor into her plans. Of course Scott was oblivious and impossible not to love, so Talia didn’t make a fuss. 

Melissa hugged him first, something tight and squeezing, making him promise to take care of himself and he nodded against her. She wasn’t his mom, she never would be, but she was the damn closest thing he had to it and he made her promise to take care of his dad for him. Then there was his dad, god his dad, who had the same stoic tears in his eyes that he’d had when Stiles had graduated, mumbling something about how his mother would be proud and then pulling him into a bone crushing hug. Stiles didn’t care though, answering the hug in kind, closing his eyes and letting himself feel so much smaller even for a small minute. 

Scott was last, scuffing his shoe at the ground like he wasn’t some big bad werewolf under those giant puppy dog eyes. “Stiles…” 

“It’s like two hours away. You’ll have to come up for weekends and parties and such you know?” Stiles babbled before Scott could say something emotional because his voice had that _tone_ , the one he’d only really heard when Stiles reacted poorly to mom-related things and Scott felt like he needed to say something. 

“Yeah of course. It’s just…” 

Stiles winced, he knew what came next. Scott was awful with words and always looked so beaten when he was feeling emotionally raw, but when his best friend looked up at him that wasn’t what he saw. The Scott staring back at him was confident, sure of himself and smiling ever so slightly. 

“It’s just, nothing changes okay? We’re still brothers, always will be, no matter what.” Scott sounded so sure, so confident, that Stiles just nodded, opening his arms up for the hug that they might have skipped or shortened. Instead, he got an arm full of warm werewolf best friend, who was nosing at his cheek while Stiles clung to him. When he pulled back Stiles was sniffling just slightly, rubbing at his eyes to will any tears that might have fallen away. 

There was one person missing, but Stiles hadn’t expected him. They’d talked about it and done their goodbyes on their own, tearful and loving, stupidly romantic that wound up with them in bed together, savoring their last moments before Stiles left for school and didn’t see him outside of visits and breaks. Derek had kissed him goodbye, longingly, promising they’d see each other soon and Stiles felt good with that. It was better than something hurried in front of everyone, including his dad. It was a much better memory than whatever they’d have here. Which was why when Scott frowned over his shoulder, Stiles wasn’t at all sure what he was expecting to see when he turned around. It definitely wasn’t a Derek, walking away from Laura’s car and headed right for Stiles. 

“Oh good, you haven’t left yet. Laura would have been pissed if she had to drive me upstate on no notice,” Derek was saying as he rounded the Jeep to Stiles, wrapping his arm around him. “All packed?” 

“Yup, got everything I’m taking,” Stiles confirmed, giving the packed jeep a light smack to emphasize his point. He took a step forward and slung his arms round Derek’s neck, ignoring the way his father coughed and turned away so he didn’t have to watch his son making out with his boyfriend. “Not that I’m complaining, but I thought we’d agreed that you wouldn’t be here,” he said, brushing a kiss across Derek’s lips and about to go in deeper when he paused and drew back with a frown. “Wait… what do you mean, ‘drive you upstate’?”

Derek laughed like it might be obvious and Stiles should have figured it out minutes ago, but it wasn’t until then he realized Derek wasn’t just there to say goodbye. And he’d shown up in Laura’s car, not his. Derek pulled back enough to shift the duffle bag and laptop bag he’d had crossed over his chest and move to put it in the jeep. “Drive me up to you. Because you’re missing something you’re taking with you.” 

Stiles didn’t really feel his mouth fall open, but the way Scott snickered behind him and Melissa really couldn’t contain the little ‘aww’ that went with it, he guessed he looked as floored as he felt. “You’re...what?” 

“Going with you,” Derek confirmed. Stiles looked over his shoulder at the other people - at least half of whom clearly knew this fact already. Including his dad. Secret-keeping traitor. He looked back at Derek.

“Going...with me?” He blinked. “Why?”

Derek just smiled, that smile that he knew did things to Stiles’ stomach and knees, but he did it anyway. “Because I’d follow you to the end of the earth Stiles. A few hours upstate is nothing.” 

“What about your mom? Your pack? You’re going…” Stiles didn’t have to finish his questions; he could see the answers in Derek’s green eyes and the way his eyebrows raised, just that little bit. None of those things mattered. Just him. Stiles had found the love of his life and he was eighteen. That didn’t happen, not really at least, only the more he looked at Derek, the more he realized it was true. 

“To start my masters,” Derek finished for him. “I’ve left for college before, remember. You just helped me decide what direction I was going in.”

“The same one as me?” Stiles checked, beginning to understand that this was really happening.

“The same one as you.”

“Why didn’t you tell me - you jerk!”

Derek shrugged, laughter in his eyes even if his smile was small. “I wanted it to be a surprise,” he said, though there was something in his words that made him wonder if maybe Derek hadn’t fully decided until the last minute. Stiles ignored that and powered on. 

“You made me cry and then you show up like this. I should make you ride with Laura,” he grumbled at Derek, though he wasn’t really mad. He couldn’t be mad. Derek was coming with him. Derek wasn’t going to be a distant boyfriend he would talk about and people wouldn’t believe he existed. He was going to be there, just as close as he was now and Stiles couldn’t help himself. He launched himself into Derek’s arms again, pleased when the werewolf caught him without even stumbling back, as if he knew it was coming or he really just was that strong. 

“You’re not gonna make me ride with Laura,” Derek said, whispering into Stiles’ ear.

“I’m not - but I can’t believe you didn’t tell me before I signed up for a roommate.”

Derek nuzzled his nose in Stiles’ hair and shook his head. “Trust me. We’ll be fine. You wouldn't have wanted me in the dorms anyway.” Stiles was going to protest, but Derek was probably right. 

The sheriff cleared his throat behind them again, to which Stiles rolled his eyes, but at least untangled himself from Derek. There’d be plenty of time for that later. Derek was coming with him. That was what mattered. 

“I agree with Derek - you won’t want him in your dorm,” Stiles’ dad said, significantly.

“ _Dad_!” Stiles protested, rolling his eyes. “It’s not like you didn’t already know we’re sleeping together!”

“Knowing and blatantly throwing it in my face are two different things Stiles,” the Sheriff pointed out and while Stiles knew it, his tone conveyed that it wasn’t the first time he’d said it. Stiles rolled his eyes, but he gave his father some leeway. He was leaving after all. 

“Maybe we should just go then,” he suggested to Derek who bit his lip against another laugh and stepped forward to shake the Sheriff’s hand, leaning in to say something that Stiles couldn’t hear. The Sheriff chuckled, then turned to Stiles and gave him one last hug. 

Melissa hugged Derek again with that look like she was giving away her child to some giant human with scruff, but Stiles tried not to take offense to that. At least Derek ruffled up Scott’s hair the point where Scott looked appalled before joining him back at the jeep and climbing into the passenger side as Stiles did the same on his side. He turned the car on then let out a sigh, looking over at Derek. “Here we go?” he asked. 

“Here we go,” Derek confirmed, giving him a grin that said to Stiles that the guy couldn’t wait to start their new life. Stiles looked toward the road, then pulled away from Beacon Hills - because neither could he.


End file.
